Take the Green Line to Old Fashioned Sodas

At first glance, you might think that the Green Line Apothecary’s name refers to its “green line” of holistic and organic products mixed among its regular sundries and remedies. Or to the lovely green vials the pharmacy uses (the vials are biodegradable; the caps recyclable). But Green Line’s name refers to the love story of owners Christina and Ken Procaccianti, who met on Boston’s Green Line subway—Ken even proposed on the Green Line. Christina’s roots in New Jersey included teen jobs at mom-and-pop pharmacies; she got her degree and worked for an independent pharmacist for eight years before she was inspired to strike out on her own. “There’s a need for a personalized approach to medicine,” she stresses. And the old-fashioned soda fountain (theirs is vintage 1940s) felt like “a must” to the Procacciantis, in keeping with their homage to old-time pharmacies. They pump their own syrups; serve all-natural sodas; dish up organic ice cream; and make a mean egg cream, with the original Brooklyn syrup—“I wanted the ratios of milk to chocolate to soda just right!” They price-match the chains on prescriptions and if you time your visit right, you’ll be treated to magic tricks and ice cream floats from the magician turned soda jerk Tristan James. The multigenerational customers are eating (well, sipping) it up!

Open M–Sa 9 am–6 pm, until 9 pm on Th. 203 Main St., Wakefield. 401.307.2555; GreenLineApothecary.com