Zipp's Pharmacy is no longer in business, but I know
many of you worked there and probably have some interesting stories to tell.
I received these photos from Glenda (Bennett) Ballis, a Roosevelt
graduate from the class of '53. She was employed at Zipp's during her high
school days. "I lived on 50th Street and 36th Avenue South, and worked at
Zipp's Drugstore on 34th and 50th all through high school. My school friends
all hung out there, even the popular ones. I made malts and
'cherry' cokes.
It was fun. Good Days!
It was a fun place to work, got all the ice
cream I could eat."
A few years ago, I heard that the Roosevelt classes prior to 1955, during the
William von Levern administration (second principal),
had no social activities such as
dances, proms, and maybe lacked some Homecoming events as we knew them in '62.
Mr. von Levern was a prison warden before coming to Roosevelt.
I asked Glenda about this and I am pleased to learn the following: "We did
have a prom dance. I still have the 'lame' pictures of me and my date.
We also had Homecoming, as the queen was a friend of mine."
Here is some trivia that Glenda added:
"My mom always sewed my clothes and I always had ribbons to match.
We had
the 'white buc' shoes, which were really classy.
If I walked to Roosevelt, on occasion, we followed 34th Avenue to 38th Street.
We didn't have school buses, as you know.
My friends and I always went
down to Lake Nokomis every summer. That was our other hangout place.
Summers were just great."
Glenda (Bennett) Ballis RHS '53, on left, age
17, 1952
Glenda, in 1952, back row of
Zipp's employees
To view a larger image, click this thumbnail
photo.
COMMENTS
"How about Zipp's Pharmacy, they had
great cherry cokes."
~ source unknown ~
"I remember Zipp's. I was a soda
jerk there for a while. I made 75¢/hour plus tips. I think the
cherry cokes
were a nickel.
When the kids would come in for ice cream cones I would pack the cone and then
put the scoop on top. Couldn't help myself to the ice cream though.
Oh, for the good old days."
~ Kathe Erickson, RHS '62 ~
"Oh, how I remember the old neighborhood down
on 34th Avenue. I also used to hang out at Marty's, go to the Leola Theatre,
buy stuff at Zipp's, and hang out at the Airloha Drive-In. I can remember
when my mom would give me a quarter to run down to the bakery for bread. I
loved to browse the dime store. You could buy Popsicles for a nickel at
Zipp's. We could go for walks at night and never a worry about anything
happening to us, even on Lake Street.
It is so different down there now. Life was much simpler then."
~ Nancy Tannehill, RHS '62 ~
"One of my earliest memories of South
Minneapolis (East side of Nokomis) would have to be walking to Zipp's Pharmacy,
at the corner of 34th Avenue & 50th street, with a nickel in my pocket, which
was my allowance for the week, to sit at the soda fountain and get
a day old doughnut and a small
suicide phosphate. There was a Dime store
next door where my sister and I could browse for what seemed to be hours.
Sometimes I would spend my allowance on éclairs at Don’s Bakery, before it
became Scandia.
I remember watching my brothers jump off the 34th Avenue arched bridge into
Minnehaha Creek (the bridge was arched way back when). I also remember
tubing down the creek, to the point just before the actual waterfalls.
Does anyone else remember ice skating on the creek at the old Longfellow House,
which was open as a warming house in the winter (before it was moved)?
I saw my first movie, 'Jaws', at the Nile Theater."
~ Melissa (Lynch) Skinner ~ |
