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ICE CREAM - August 31, 2006
On Friday afternoon, Aug. 4, about
closing time, J&B Drug Store was invaded by a group of
hungry ice cream lovers from North Carolina to fulfill a
tradition established long ago by the late Carl Morris,
grandfather of the Rhodes girls.
This group filled all six stools and
overflowed to a booth. They included Sharon Kohnle,
Shirley Sims, Robin Brinkley, Michelle Rhodes, Kayla
Brinkley, Sarah Rhodes and myself.
These ladies were treated to true
Calhoun hospitality by J&B personnel Brian Prunty and
Michelle Morrell, who worked frantically to fill their
orders, individually made for each customer.
Most ordered either a chocolate milk
shake or “Hicky,” which was recommended as a local
favorite and store specialty. It is a rich concoction of
chocolate ice cream and marshmallow topping. The
chocolate milk shakes were also determined to be
special, even served in a glass instead of a styrofoam
container. It was an adventure to sit at the bar and
observe the preparations.
The J&B snack bar has been there
“forever,” according to Morrell. It used to be a
gathering place for business men in the mornings and the
ladies stopped in the afternoons after their walk to the
post office. She said, “It doesn’t happen very often
that all of the stools are filled!”
The wall behind the bar displays mugs
with names of former customers. They were the 100-cup
members, where customers had to drink 100 cups of coffee
to get their name on a cup. It was a big hit years ago,
but not as many folks come in and just chat and have a
cup of coffee like the old days.
J&B is the only place in Grantsville
where hand dipped cones can be found. New selections to
the menu are sugar free ice cream in butter pecan and
neopolitan flavors and frozen fruit bars.
This was an experience for visitors that
is not available in many places.
Look around our county for treasures
that are unique to us. People like to visit here because
we have attractions outside our door that are fun for
them.
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“Visitors and former residents nearly
always come back to the part of Appalachia where they
grew up. They’re never good at explaining why . . . most
will shake their heads and have a look on their faces
like the look you see on dogs who have been lost and
wander home to search out the corner of the yard they
knew they had to find again before they could get a good
sleep.”
From “Appalachia: The Voices of Sleeping
Birds,” by Cynthia Rylant and Barry Mosser
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