Livingston’s Soda Fountain and Grill Is Just What the Doctor Ordered

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Jack Pettigrew, owner of Livingston's Soda Fountain and Grill, talks to customers at the restaurant in Brownsville, Tennessee.

Photo credit: Jeff Adkins

Long before fast food and drive-thrus, there were the old-fashioned soda fountains where folks could grab a stool at the bar and savor a rich and creamy milkshake or ice cream float. Livingston’s Soda Fountain and Grill owner Jack Pettigrew never forgot the feeling of sitting at the soda fountain in his father’s pharmacy.

“The kids would make me a cherry float,” he recalls.

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Pettigrew maintained the family tradition in Brownsville, becoming a third-generation pharmacist before returning to medical school and opening a general practice there in the 1980s. As retirement approached, he followed in his father’s footsteps again when he and his wife, Glenda, opened Livingston’s Soda Fountain and Grill on the town square in 2022. The historic building had served as the post office in the 1930s and was later purchased by the Livingston family and run as a home furnishings store.

“My wife was not for the project at first,” Pettigrew says. “She wanted me to enjoy retirement and go see grandchildren, but this was something I had always wanted to do and had to get it out of my system. She has been with me every step of the way.”

See more: Swaney-Swift Drugs in Gallatin Pays Homage to an Old-Time Pharmacy

Livingston's Burger with Pimento Cheese, Candied Bacon, Shredded Lettuce, Tomato and Mayo along with a Chopped Salad and Marshall Fields sandwich at Livingston's Soda Fountain and Grill in Brownsville, Tennessee.

Photo credit: Jeff Adkins

Spring is the perfect time to cool off with a visit to the soda fountain after taking in the sites in nearby Nutbush, the childhood home of music icon Tina Turner, or birdwatching at the Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge.

This West Tennessee region, near the Mississippi Delta, is famous for its barbecue and catfish, so the Pettigrews wanted to try something different. Polished chrome faucets, high bar stools and diner-style seating are reminiscent of a time when days moved slower and handspun treats made life sweeter. Even the milkshakes reflect the town’s local culture, sports and industry with names like Muddy Hatchie River or Blue Oval (named for the nearby Ford facility).

“The word I hear more than anything is ‘nostalgic,’” Pettigrew says. “I had a lady literally start tearing up because the restaurant reminded her of her childhood.”

See more: Enjoy a Waterfront Meal on the Cumberland River at Riverview Restaurant & Marina

In addition to the sweet treats at the soda fountain, guests also look forward to the Sunday brunch with favorites like meatloaf, mashed potatoes and lima beans or an evening meal of crusted grouper with sesame ginger dressing. Pettigrew says he has been surprised, however, that two of his bestsellers are the simple chocolate milkshake and old-fashioned burger.

The retired physician continues to enjoy serving his community but has somewhat softened his stance on healthy eating.

“My former patients will joke that ‘My doctor used to tell me not to order this or that,’ but I have changed my philosophy a little,” Pettigrew says, laughing. “I tell them that they can have that burger or milkshake.”

The Marshall Fields sandwich is an Open-Faced Sandwich with Ham, Turkey, Provolone Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Bacon, Green Olives, and Thousand Island Dressing on Rye Bread at Livingston's Soda Fountain and Grill in Brownsville, Tennessee.

Photo credit: Jeff Adkins

The Dish on Livingston’s Soda Fountain and Grill

Location: 60 S. Washington Ave., Brownsville

Hours: Open Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Thursday and Friday from10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.; Closed Monday

Phone: (731) 734-2041

Website: livingstonsodaftn.com

Facebook: facebook.com/livingstonsodafountaingrilltn

While You’re There: There is something for the whole family in Haywood County. Learn about the area’s history at the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center and the Dunbar Carver Museum and Cultural Center, which tells the story of the area’s African American experience. Take the children to see the one-of-a-kind Billy Tripp’s Mindfield, a maze of metal collected over 30 years – said to be the tallest freestanding sculpture in the state. Head outdoors for a day of birdwatching amid the cypress groves in the scenic Hatchie River Basin.

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