18 Milkshake Shops and Malt Counters From Small Towns

By Adam Garcia | Published 5 days ago A good malted can make a Main Street feel like the center of the universe for about twelve minutes. The counter is short, the stools spin, and somebody behind the register knows exactly how thick everyone likes it. Some of the places below are real shops that still carry the old fountain tradition, and some are the gadgets, ingredients, and characters that made the tradition possible. Together they explain why a milkshake from a small-town counter tastes like it came from another decade. Olson’s Drug and Soda Fountain in Conrad, Montana Olson’s Drug & Soda Fountain sits in Conrad, Montana, the seat of Pondera County on the plains east of the Rocky Mountain Front. The shop is a drugstore first and a fountain second, which is how nearly every fountain in the country began life. Ice cream sodas and shakes are made at the counter, a few steps from the shelves of everyday remedies.

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