BY: GRACIE SCHULTE

Everyone has wished for a flash back to a time without buzzing phones alerting us of the new emails that beckon to us from our filled-to-the-brim inboxes and the loads of text messages and missed calls from our co-workers and families (and don’t forget those pesky telemarketers!).

With the help and talent of Revitalize Comanche, a temporary escape from a modernized generation is offered in the middle of Comanche County. 

On the West side of the Comanche County square is a little place called “The Soda Shop” that is a recently completed project of Revitalize Comanche. 

This ice-cream joint gives you 50’s vibes before you even set foot into the building. With its cherry red door and the name of the spot set in retro-lettering, you just might get the urge to go home and slick back your hair or put on your red lipstick. 

Upon entering, the black and white checkered floors and vintage memorabilia scattered throughout the shop give an instant feeling of old-fashioned fun.

Being a non-profit organization, Revitalize Comanche is made possible by volunteers who participate in projects around the county to restore the beauty and history that is hidden within Comanche. 

High schoolers looking for some community service hours and men and women who still have a special place in their hearts for “the good old days” will happily offer to take the order of you and your party of guests. 

In the corner, a colorful, glowing jukebox plays time-honored music to set the scene as you decide whether to sit at a table, booth, or at the counter and admire the wall of Coca-Cola glasses that your handmade drink or float will be served in. 

The menu consists of shakes, malts, sundaes, fountain sodas, and almost every other desert that could be created with ice-cream and toppings. 

By choosing to sit at the counter, you can also see the steps taken by volunteers to make whichever sweet treat you ordered from the menu. From scooping the Blue Bell ice-cream to swirling the whipped cream for a sundae, one thing is for sure… a full stomach from a delicious dessert of your choice will be better than the cherry that tops it. 

Mementos from the 50’s are displayed underneath the glass tables, on the walls, and located inside other nooks and crannies throughout the space. 

A modest wooden telephone booths sits in the far left corner and invites you inside to take a seat and dial the number of a friend or family member into its rotary dial and see if they’ll pick up. 

A large, red Chevrolet truck hood is suspended on the very back wall and grabs your attention easily with the names of locals and visitors that have been scribbled onto it. If you forget your Sharpie at home, the volunteers will be more than happy in helping you leave your mark on this classic piece and on The Soda Shop itself. 

After visiting this old-fashioned ice-cream joint, you might leave wishing you were born in a different decade. And even though we all can be a little overwhelmed with our busy lives, it never hurts to have a sweet little escape.