Food: Wise's Drug Store

As you might have noticed from the rest of the blog, I'm pretty steeped in American culture. One little scrap of Americana I never got to experience growing in the suburbs, however, is the neighborhood pharmacy - the old-timey type, not Walgreens. A place where you could not only buy aspirin, but also a cold milkshake and a sandwich.

Luckily, such places still exist, even though they're certainly not as common as they once were. Wise's Drug Store, ensconced near the heart of Gainesville's downtown, has that classic row of stools and lunch counter that defined small-town America. I stopped in one day out of curiosity, and ordered a burger and shake.

It's odd to get what is essentially fast food in a place like this. For one thing, it's apparent that when you sub in a competent short order cook for a minimum wage burger flipper, even the humblest of foods tastes a lot better. The limited menu selection and sometimes small portions are significant drawbacks, but at least the service is good. It's hard to put a price on civility these days.

2/4 stars