If you ignore the obvious throngs of tourists in very questionable summer attire, getting off the ferry and driving in some of the Galveston Island older neighborhoods is like stepping back in time. There are tiny houses, there are large houses but they all have one thing in common...they tell a story. In various states of repair or disrepair they all hold a certain charm for folks like me who are fascinated with houses and their histories.
I can imagine people, young and old alike, walking down to the Strand to shop, work or be entertained. I suppose it depends on the decade I am imagining as to what they wear, the music they are listening to and what was entertaing them. One thing for sure is, they all had to eat.
In the 20's through the 50's soda fountains were all the rage. Sitting at the counter asking for an egg creme or a flavored soda was an afternoon past time. Galveston had the Star Drug Store. It is supposed to be the oldest drug stor in Texas. Today there is no aspirin or bandages in sight but the french toast made from french bread is very, very tasty.
There is a counter to sit at that forms a rectangle in the middle of the "store." At the end of the rectangle is the kitchen where everything is prepared in sight of the customer. The morning I dropped in there was a melange of islanders and tourists, all were busy getting to it as the food arrived in front of them.
I took the picture above shooting down from what must have been storage at one time or a second floor. On this set of "hallways" upstairs you could look down on the scene below or peruse the art on the wall for sale.
The walls on the main floor are covered in apothecary cabinets that now hold unusual jewelry, items you would expect to see in a coastal town...shells, frames made from shells, and more shells. They do have an interesting assortment of vintage items for sale also. If you are in Galveston in the near future stop by Star Drug for lunch and say hi to my friend here:
Star Drug Store
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