Great stuff, Pat!
My grandfather and my father were pharmacists and our drug store had a full soda fountain. Sadly,
the fountain had to be closed down when the refrigeration system failed because my grandfather could not afford to upgrade to a freon system. I never got to enjoy a Boston Cooler there but the full fountain was still intact up until we sold the store in 1977. Both my father and grandfather liked to tell the Vernor's story because James Vernor was a Registered Pharmacist.
Vernors, Faygo, Sander's Hot Fudge, Stroh's Ice Cream are all fond memories
of my childhood! For many years as a child, I remember sitting on the curb on Woodward Avenue just across the street from the Vernor's Plant for the J.L. Hudson Thanksgiving Day Parade. That big Vernor's sign on the plant was awesome!
Vernors is definitely a "one of a kind soft-drink!"
Tim