Dateline Bath, Maine, April 17, 2023
One of my favorite cities north of my home in Berwick, Maine, is Bath -- the City of Ships. I've spent a lot of time on Front Street while in town for various reasons, including my occasional involvement in Bath's beloved Chocolate Church Arts Center.
I just love the look, the feel, the walkability, and the emotional texture of this town! And yet today, while jaunting along Front Street in a warm and welcoming rain, I found a reason to love the city even more. It's The Fountain Ice Cream & Deli, and the moment I stepped inside, I knew I was hooked. And you can bet I'll be back again, the very next time I come to Bath.
The interior is an absolute delight! If you like to brighten your day with a generous helping of authentic, state-of-the-art nostalgia, The Fountain Ice Cream & Deli deserves to be at or near the top of your Dance Card. You'll be dancing to the visual music of Coke Machines and 45 RPM records suspended like musical mobiles from the ceiling of the deli's charming display window. You'll be invited to spin yourself into momentary ecstasy -- back to your childhood! -- on one of a long march of sparkling-clean, 50s-Era counter stools. And when you're done with that, you can ask to be seated, next time, on one of a series crescent-shaped, black-and-white Art Deco "couches," found online by the owners, Jonathan & Kristen Rice, then repurposed -- brilliantly and imaginatively, I think -- to the heartwarming decor of this beautiful facility.
To learn more about The Fountain Ice Cream & Deli -- hours of operation and menu -- go to thefountainicecream.com, write Kristen and Jonathan at thefountainicecream@gmail.com, or call the owners at 207-389-4239.
The Fountain Ice Cream & Deli
110 Front Street
Bath, Maine 04530