PORT NECHES — Women dressed in 50’s style clothing lined the counter at Mike’s Old Fashioned Soda Fountain Tuesday afternoon for a quick photo shoot.

Tracy Musgrove of Pretty Things Academy directed the group on how to pose as part of her vintage pinup class as Mike Lisotta, owner of the soda shop, stood behind the counter.

“We came here to do the photo shoot and he was generous enough to allow us,” Musgrove said.

Musgrove, like many others, are attracted to the shop’s charm.

Vintage photos line the walls along with musical instruments. The wooden counter features antique fountain fixtures, antique cash register and scale. Behind the counter near large mirrors are mixing machines and lines of malt shop shaped glassware.

Antiques are almost everywhere to be seen, some the woodwork and old radio to the jukebox. Lisotta mixes in a little of today’s world with a large flat screen TV which plays classics such as Little Rascals.

JoLynn DeCoux and grandchildren Celsea Clark and Landry DeCoux are also drawn by the shop’s nostalgic flair as well as the ice cream.

The grandmother brings the brood to the shop after she picks up Landry from Mothers Day Out. The trip to Mike’s Old Fashioned Soda Fountain is her treat to the grandchildren.

“We’ve been coming here for a while,” DeCoux said of the business which opened July 19. “It’s peaceful here. I hope it does well.”

Lisotta said he has been busy since his summer opening. He has received many positive comments about the business and support from the community.

“They (customers) love the way it looks,” Lisotta said. “I get a lot of neighborhood people who thank me for doing something substantial. And I get tons of ‘thank you’s’ for opening the shop. I’ve had lots of support from day one.”

Lisotta said he has had customers leave and come back with their neighbors in tow and Facebook “has been awesome.”

“This has worked out exactly how I wanted it to,” he said. “It’s becoming a little destination.”

Mike’s Old Fashioned Soda Fountain serves Blue Bell Ice Cream and more and is located at 1302 Port Neches Ave. in Port Neches. For more information, log on to the Facebook page or call 985-5194.

mmeaux@panews.com