To everyone who had an eye on the restoration of Goolricks Pharmacy on Caroline Street in Fredericksburg as recently as this past spring, it seemed like a long time to wait for an old-fashioned milkshake, a cool treat for which Goolrick’s became famous.
The original Goolricks Pharmacy opened in 1892. Now closed for business, the landmark is being restored to its former glory.
What’s happening? When is it going to open? Is it even going to have the old-fashioned milkshakes? Rest assured, that’s the plan, says owner Jeh Hicks.
“We’re looking forward to being a top-notch soda fountain again,” he said.
The first sentence on Goolrick’s website states, “125+ more years of egg salad & bacon sandwiches & magnificent milkshakes,” and that day is coming for those sandwiches and shakes. Still, reconstructing a historic property takes time.
Hicks said next summer is the target date for reopening. “The work is time-consuming but high craftsmanship,” he said.
Everything will be designed to ensure the new Goolricks feels authentic, which is exactly the experience Hicks is aiming to create. The windows are being reconstructed the way they were betwen 1905 and 1935. The flooring will be the same. Even the lights will be fashioned just like they were back in the day.
Hicks found a husband-and-wife team in Richmond that specializes in vintage light fixtures, so he’s contacted them about his project. “They’ve been able to find lights from that time period,” he said. They are even going to have cream cheese and olive sandwiches listed on one of the old receipts that was dug up. “Apparently they were a huge hit,” said Hicks.
In mid-August, a new covering on the front doors was put in, fanning the flames of all the onlookers. Recently, they’ve completed the first level and are ready to move upstairs for the next phase of the project. The window pictures include shots from various years starting in 1907.
One of the restoration companies is Habalis Construction, which specializes in preserving and improving historic properties. It is also located in Fredericksburg and hires graduates of historic preservation programs or historic preservation trade schools.
Some of Habalis’ past works include several buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, such as the Aquia Episcopal Church in Stafford County and the Fredericksburg Presbyterian Church, the Doswell House, the Carmichael House, and the Doggett House.
Through months of digging in the basement and under the flooring layers, they’ve come across old medicine bottles, prescriptions, whiskey bottles, and a concrete safe with steel doors. It is still intact, so they are for storage in the basement of Goolricks. “Flood APR 26,” is written on the safe, but the year is not legible.
There is a series of videos showing the progress of the project, which is an easy way to let everyone know what’s going on. This series is based on a PBS show called “This Old House,” he said. Hicks gets a lot of questions from the community and the video system is a good way to let everyone know what’s going on. The latest is “Video #14,” of the construction progress, which is available to see on their website.
