The Mississippi Soda Fountain Born From The End Of The Civil War

When you think of a soda fountain, you probably imagine the one at your local fast-food joint — self-serve and super crisp drinks. If you were to visit Corinth, Mississippi, and stop by a particular establishment called Borroum's Drug Store and Soda Fountain, you'd feel like you'd stepped back in time. This store was opened in the late 1800s by Dr. Andrew Jackson Borroum and has been family-owned and operated for over 150 years. Like many establishments that have stood the test of time, Borroum's has had several facelifts throughout the years. Still, two things that haven't changed at Borroum's are the authentic Southern menu and the vintage soda fountain. 

Dr. Borroum's grandson, Col. James Lannes Borroum, added the soda fountain in the 1930s as part of a remodel of the drug store's restaurant. The same hardware is still used today and is maintained and kept pristine by the current owners: seventh-generation Borroum family members. Borroum's Drug Store is the oldest of its kind in Mississippi, which is astounding and makes the shop an interactive part of history for locals and visitors to enjoy.

Old-fashioned soda fountains are hard to beat. If they come with the full historical experience, it's even better. When you step into Borroum's Drug Store and Soda Fountain today and make a beeline for a sweet treat, a younger generation Borroum might ask if you like ice cream soda. The bar uses real malted milk in its shakes and ice cream sodas and serves old-fashioned cherry soda. It's rare to find these old-school items out and about, but you shouldn't expect anything less at a mom-and-pop place like this.

Meanwhile, the food menu still includes classic items like the original slug burger — a retro term for a beef burger with grain mixed through it — and serves a wide range of Southern comfort food staples. There's no shortage of love, commitment, and family legacy in Borroum's Drug Store, and many history buffs hope the store will live on so that people can enjoy a piece of American food history and an ice cream soda to wash it all down.