WELLSVILLE – Jeff Norr of Paradise is a soda jerk by profession. He operates an old-fashioned pop stand at events around the region. His Old Fashioned Soda stand with covered wagon attracts a lot of people at the places he goes.
A soda jerk is not a negative term, it was used to describe a person who operates soda fountain in a drugstore. Older drugstores had a counter and patted stools for customers to sit on while the soda jerk fixed the drink.
Jeff Norr’s Old Fashioned Soda Shop was busy at the American West Heritage Center on Friday Sept. 14, 2024.
Norr jerks the lever outside during fairs and community events. The soda jerk term has been used since the late 1800’s until about the 1940’s. Some said it was a takeoff from soda clerk or the person who mixed the flavors with soda water. Others say it has to do with the action of pulling the lever to release the soda water.
He gets his flavored mix from a place in California. He says he doesn’t use corn syrup. He uses sugarcane to sweeten the drinks.
Norr and his father Roger are kind of a fixture at American West Heritage Center events. His drink booth blends in with the western town décor of the town site and he comes with his father who runs Rollin’ West BBQ.
“Jeff and his father come out to most events here at The American West Heritage Center,” said Chris Schultz, the large group and vendor coordinator for AWHC. “He generally comes out with his dad who has Rollin’ West BBQ and lives in Wellsville.”
For some events they will have specialized mugs made and sell the drinks in them.
Jeff’s aunt owned the drink wagon before Jeff and his father bought it six years ago. It’s been in the family for 12 years now.
“I used to go to California, Montana and places further away and set up shop,” he said. “I found out by the time I buy gas and drive that far away it wasn’t worth it.”
The Old-Fashioned Soda business serves drinks like sarsaparilla, root beer, cream sodas and the like.
“I do about 24 events a year,” Norr said. “There is no competition for the kind of drinks I serve.”
Roger said the pop shop really does well during Animal Days, the barbeque competition and other summer events.
The soda wagon is headed to Blackfoot for the Eastern Idaho State Fair and the BBQ wagon is getting ready for Vintage Days in Logan this weekend.
Jeff Norr fills plastic cups for customers at his Old Fashioned Soda shop last Friday Sept. 13, 2024.
“We are scheduled for one more event at the Heritage Center and then we quit for the winter,” Roger said. “No one buys cold pop in the winter.”
The two are scheduled from March until October every year except for Rollin’ West BBQ, it will be setup at Beaver Mountain Ski resort all winter. They try to ease the load of Beaver’s snack bar.