Friends! Let’s take a stroll down malt shop lane and check out some cool images from the 1930’s-1950’s of vintage soda/malt shops and the customers who are enjoying them.

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Lana Turner in”Slightly Dangerous”, 1943 serving up a ice cream float.

lana turner at a malt shop in 1943.

Vintage Malt Shops

Vintage Images 1930’s – 1950’s

HISTORY OF THE MALT SHOP

A Soda shop, also often known as a Malt shop (after malt, a sweet milkshake flavoring), is a business akin to an ice cream parlor and a drugstore soda fountain. Interiors were often furnished with a large mirror behind amarble counter with gooseneck soda spouts, plus spinning stools, round marble-topped tables and wireframe sweetheart chairs.

The counter-service soda fountain was introduced in 1903, and around that same time, drugstores began to attract noontime customers by adding sandwiches and light lunches. The beverage menu at a soda shop usually included ice cream sodas, chocolate malts, fountain colas and milkshakes. A 1915 issue of Soda Fountain magazine stated: “The soda fountain of today is an ally of temperance… Ice cream soda is a greater medium for the cause of temperance than all the sermon ever preached on that subject (source).”

Now, what can we get you?

1950s vintage photo of a soda jerk in a malt shop making a milkshake.

Source: Wikimedia

1950s vintage photo of teens at the malt shop counter enjoying treats.

1950s Malt Shop Soda Shop 1950s Teenagers

Source: Flickr- UNCG Digital Projects

Late 1940s / early 1950s photo of a busy malt shop. All those treats look yummy!

Late 1940s early 1950s malt shop photo

Malt Shops are for hanging out, catching up and also reading as these girls are demonstrating in 1952.

1952 malt shop image featuring teenage girls in 1950s fashiosn hanging out at the counter.

Source: Flickr- File Photo Digital Archive

When grabbing a drink at the counter it’s mandatory that one looks their best, like these very stylish teenagers. Their hats are the BEST! -1940s Photo-

Late 1940s / Early 1950s teenagers at the soda shop

And looking their best for these boys means it’s all about the Plaid. 1950s photo.

1950 teenage boys hanging at the soda shop

After a fun day at the beach a nice refreshing drink will do the trick. And now on a side note, what an amazing photo! The girl swimsuits are stunning as well as the girl’s hair on the right. WOW! -1940s Photo-

1940 girls in swimsuits at the soda counter

1942 Nifty Nook Diner / Malt Shop. Phoenix, Arizona. Super 1940s “teenager” fashions on display in this image.

1942 Nifty Nook Diner / Malt Shop. Phoenix, Arizona. Super 1940s "teenager" fashions on display in this image.

Source: Etsy

There is that fantastic “counter” style we keep seeing. Another great hat!

1940s woman at a soda counter in 1940s hait and 1940s dress

Even movie stars stopped by for a milkshake or two as seen here in the picture below with Joan Crawford and her editor Alice in 1939. P.S. HAT! 

Joan Crawford at Soda Fountain with Editor Alice Thompson, 1939.

Image by © CondÈ Nast Archive/Corbis

Malt Shops are not just for teenagers and movie stars, they are for all ages.

1940s vintage soda shop image

Source: We had faces then

1953 – Mavis sipping a strawberry milkshake in a white milk bar.

1950s little girl at the malt shop counter

Photo by Terrence Spencer//Time Life Pictures/Getty Images

1930s photo of a couple out on date night at the malt shop.

1930s Malt shop vintage image

1950s photo of two teenagers enjoying a drink together and some fun conversation. Wonder what they are chatting about?

1950s teenagers on a date

Shall we have a dance or listen to some music before we leave? -1950s photo-

1950s Teenagers dancing in a soda malt shop

Image by © Michael Ochs

So much to take in here! Saddle shoes, jukebox, plaid skirt, 1940s hairstyles and young men and women enjoying their time at their local malt shop.

1940s teenagers listening to music at the soda shop

Source: Pinterest

Lastly when I was in Memphis the hubby and I stopped in at A.Schwab and had REAL soda’s from their vintage soda counter. Here are a couple of images of that super cool experience.

Read about my trip to Memphis & Nashville HERE.

Memphis Schwabs Soda Shop

Mmmmmm real soda pop. Which one to try first?

Homemade Soda from A.Schwab Memphis

Now Question Time: Do you have a favorite place to go for vintage sodas? Milkshakes? Maybe you hung out at a Malt shop back in the day? Share anything you want in the comments section below.

FURTHER READING:

Vintage Photo Tuesday-Collection of archived vintage blog posts showing vintage images from the 1920s-1960s

Liz 

7 Comments on Vintage Malt Shops

  1. So fun! I want my time machine again. From lovely Lana to all the cool hats, the way they even made rolling up their jeans look cool, that girl on the right’s hair (bet that took a lot of work) and crazy Joan Crawford drinking calories, malt shops look like the place to be. We were born too late to have “soda jerk” make us one in our youth. Of course, all that time at the counter prepares you for the adult years, sitting at a bar, drinking different drinks.

  2. How fabulously fun!!! It really warms my vintage loving Canadian heart to hear about a classic malt shop like this opening. I’m so going to tag along with you in spirit! 🙂

    ♥ Jessica

  3. I’m crazy about vintage soda shops. There are two great ones near mr Franklins fountain in Philly and Brooklyn farmacy in Brooklyn. We need more of these places

    • ohh good to know about the 2 soda shops your mentioned if I ever visit. I love them so much and I’m excited Toronto is finally getting one as I agree as well that we need more.

    • right?! I’m inspired to update my “drinking sodas” at the soda fountain looks too! 🙂

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