Changes Ahead for the Huntridge Tavern and Soda Fountain

The Huntridge Shopping Center, home to Anthony Bourdain-approved dive bar the Huntridge Tavern and fifties throwback Huntridge Pharmacy & Soda Fountain, has been bought by a local developer with an eye to dramatically improve the area.

Las Vegas native J. Dapper of Dapper Companies purchased the 62,000-square-foot property for $5.2 million and one day would like to extend the mini-empire to the Huntridge Theater across the street.

A fan of the "great examples of modern Googie architecture" within the center, Dapper's plan is to upgrade the exterior of the buildings and demolish the former Farm Basket and Doña Norma Restaurante Nicaraguense restaurant on the corner. Any remodels to the interior spaces have not yet been revealed.

The Huntridge Pharmacy still operates an original freezer from its 1962 debut within a 1950s styled soda fountain that is 100 percent dairy kosher. Well known for hosting photo shoots among the red vinyl stools and vinyl booths, the theme extends to a menu of Rockin Robin burgers, Suzy Q salads and Be Bop A Lula wraps.

Next door, the thin, rectangular, unpretentious 53-year-old tavern offers cheap drink deals, video poker and a hunk of wood mounted on the wall inscribed with the misspelled "attiude adjuster."

Dapper has made no secret he would eventually like to purchase the Huntridge Theater, the neighborhood icon which has now shut down its highly publicized fund raising attempts to revive the building.