“With the closing of Pankonin, Saginawians yearning to have a soda at a drugstore lunch counter are out of luck. There are no others to choose from in town.”
-The Saginaw News, March 12, 2007.
When the building on the southeast corner of North Michigan and Court was being restored a few years ago, the removal of an enameled steel façade revealed a surprise, a painted sign joyfully promoting the soda fountain in Hinds & Weinberg’s – the business that once occupied the storefront. The painting features what we interpret to be a strawberry sundae paired with a frothy strawberry soda. The advertising sign leaves no question that they are made from Saginaw produced Williams Ice Cream. The billboard was passionately recreated by late Saginaw artist Jim Fives.
To learn more about the recreation of the mural: https://www.publicartpassport.com/weinberg-pankonin.html
While the painted ice cream confections tempt viewers, the soda fountain closed in 2007 - when the drugstore closed.
Tracing its roots back to 1879, a drugstore has anchored the northeast corner of Court Street and Michigan Avenue for over 125 years. The story of the soda fountain at Pankonin Drugstore was explored in numerous Saginaw News articles. This is one of our favorites:
“Ten-cent ice cream sundaes and cherry sodas are fond memories for Reynold Pankonin who started working at the drugstore he now owns more than 50 years ago. His drugstore at 422 Court has changed over the years. But it still has an ice cream fountain-its third- although the amount ice cream sold has dropped drastically.
In 1926, when Pankonin first started working in the drugstore while a high school student, about 50 gallons of ice cream were sold daily. Now, Pankonin said his customers go through about 15 gallons a week.
‘Ice cream stopped being a treat when it was packaged and sold in the stores,’ he said.
Saturdays were the busiest times at the ice cream counters. Persons flocked to the area to listen to the summer band concerts in the park across the street. Saturday evenings were also when dapper young gents met at the drugstore before dates. Cherry sodas and double chocolate sundaes were the favorites, Pankonin said.
Pankonin said the ice cream business was so brisk, that malt for shakes was purchased in 500 pound quantities and sugar was bought by the half ton.
After working in the drugstore for two years while attending Arthur Hill High School, Pankonin headed to Ferris College at the advice of one of the drugstore owners. He graduated from Ferris in 1932 and has been working at the drugstore since, except for a 44-month break during World War II. Pankonin spent most of the time in the Pacific, assigned to PT Boat bases. Pankonin acquired half interest in the store in 1945 and became full owner in 1952.” (The Saginaw News, May 11, 1979.)
Pankonin’s remained a fixture of the westside for another quarter century and then some. When the store closed, the soda fountain was offered for sale.
“Look, old soda fountain; complete soda fountain including all sinks, cooler, cooled prep area, 12 stools. In good condition. All stainless steel. Pankonin Rexall Drug Store. Great for basement. Taking bids til 3/23.”
Although there is much more we could explore about the history of the building, Pankonin Drugstore, and the soda fountain, we are tempted by the sign and will move onto the recipe – or this week’s non-recipe.
The Recipe: A Riff on a Weinberg-Pankonin Strawberry Sundae
This week’s recipe – well it really doesn’t require a recipe; however, we feel we are obligated to create one—is our take on the Weinberg-Pankonin strawberry sundae. Perfect for a hot day.
For each serving:
2 Scoops of Bryer’s Strawberry Ice Cream*
Approx ¼ cup sliced fresh Strawberries**
3 Tablespoons – whipped cream. We suggest preparing it yourself; however, substituting canned topping is much quicker .***
1 Maraschino Cherry
Directions:
Place two scoops of ice cream in serving vessel. Generously top with fresh sliced strawberries. Top -artfully - with whipped cream and garnish with one maraschino cherry – no more and no less than one. Of course, you are free to garnish with chopped nuts.
And that is it.
It would be much more magical served and eaten at the soda fountain in the drugstore on the northeast corner of Court and North Michigan. However, such things are no longer possible.
* Saginaw-produced William’s Ice Cream traced it roots back to about 1904 when the company was founded as a dairy by Albert Williams. Williams passed away in 1959 and the following year the company was sold to Flint’s McDonald Dairy. Although newspaper coverage indicated McDonald’s would continue to produce under the William’s Ice Cream name, advertising suggests that the brand disappeared about the time of the purchase.
The use of strawberries was suggested through advertising by Williams Ice Cream for seasonal labor to hull strawberries in their plant.
** The choice of fresh strawberries was suggested by the sign. Hinds and Weinberg were proud of the fact that they made their own chocolate syrup. However, we do not have their recipe.
***Although a 1980s newspaper review of Saginaw’s ice cream spots complained about the lack of whipped cream on Pankonin’s sundaes, the sign clearly shows whipped cream.
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