In 1892, K.N. Goolrick opened the Goolrick pharmacy on Caroline Street in Fredericksburg, specializing in things people wanted, like milkshakes and medicine.
Fast forward 132 years, and the pharmacy is still there, but the windows are whitewashed because this iconic landmark is getting a major renovation as it adapts to the times. And soda fountain fans need not worry; the historic soda fountain behind the café bar will be a focus of the new pharmacy.
Jeh Hicks is part of the restoration of this “beloved Fredericksburg landmark,” he called it in a four-part video they made of the project. In a building this old, reconstructing while preserving history has its moments.
“There are all kinds of challenges,” he added, standing in the dark interior of the structure and examining the different sizes of bricks that were used, the mosaic tile floor that was under layers of flooring, and a second level that was concrete at one time. The tiles dated to “around 1933,” he said.
There were two fires of note and a third fire in the records somewhere, but years ago, documentation was not as stringent as it is today. “Beams deteriorated because of the fire,” Hicks added. Peculiar things were uncovered as part of the project, too. “JW Masters” was written on one beam and sandstone from Aquia Creek was found in another area. One of the handmade bricks has a paw print because it most likely was laid out in the sun to dry, and a small mammal stepped on it while it was still wet.
Several old bottles with thick glass were found in the basement. Heavy beams were wedged in there to hold the ceiling up, and the main floor fluctuated seven inches from the front to the back. “Liberties were taken with the walls,” he said. “It was nowhere near level,” he added.
Goolrick’s has undergone many changes over the past century as Fredericksburg grew. Recently, a carpenter was working on one of the street-level windows. It used to be a double window, but the street had been repaved so many times since the shop opened that the bottom pane of the window had to be bricked up. “The street level was way below this back in the day,” he said.
Out on Caroline Street, there were many gawking eyes, and the whitewash had a clear spot to see inside a little. Ulman’s Jeweler’s Next Door has been the unofficial spokesperson for the project, and people call frequently to see what’s going on next door. “It’s a historic place, we need it to be here, it’s a landmark for us,” said Linda Yohman at Ulman’s. It’s the same thing at Sight Studio across the street. “Patients always come in and ask,” said Rebekah Olsberg, who has her favorite Goolrick item. “I do miss the milkshake,” she said.
The renovation is expected to be completed in late summer or early fall, and a grand opening gala is not out of the question. “We are thrilled to have the chance to bring this treasured space back to life for another 100 years,” Hicks said.
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