Many older neighbourhoods in Hamilton have alleys. They’re great cycling shortcuts. You can stay off main roads between gaps in marked bike lanes. Recently saw another ‘ghost’ on such an alley ride.

Perhaps this building, at 254 Locke Street South, was Duncan Garson’s shop back when soda fountains in drug stores were common. Soda fountains were often the purview of druggists because druggists, or chemists as the Brits still call them, knew how to make carbon dioxide; no small feat ♫ waaaay ♫ back when! While commercial production of CO2 in the late 1800s ended that bit of dangerous in-house chemical wizardry the drug store soda fountain endured for many decades more.

Sadly, I could find no online reviews for a Garson root beer float…!

More fun facts about soda fountains & druggists plus actress Lana Turner not being discovered at the soda fountain in Schwab’s Drug Store.