By: William Horton
William Richard (Dick) Bennett was a “salt of the earth” kind of guy. He was hard working, thrifty, honest, and moral. He loved his family and was a respected member of the West Asheville community and treated all those who he encountered with respect and dignity no matter their station in life. As a Freemason, he believed in meeting with others “on the level”, acting “by the plumb”, and parting “on the square”.
In the late 40’s Dick’s sister in law and her husband purchased a good sized lot on Haywood Road (the “main drag” in West Asheville) where it was her intention to have her husband, a builder, construct a retail building where she could open a dry goods store (sort of a small general store without the groceries). At the time, Dick was a Fireman with the City of Asheville Fire Department. The size of the lot being ample, she approached Dick and asked if he might be interested in opening some kind of business in the same building. Dick told her that the only business experience he had was working in a drug store as a young man and running the lunch counter at a five and ten cent store downtown. Seizing the opportunity, he decided to open a Soda and Sundries Shop (Like a drugstore without the pharmacy since he was not a licensed pharmacist). Thus Bennett’s Sodas and Sundries was born. Not long thereafter, West Asheville Pharmacy at the east end of Haywood Road closed and so Dick hired a pharmacist and added a pharmacy to the business.
Being an avid outdoorsman, Dick also sold fishing and hunting supplies including hand tied files, rods, reels, and hunting and fishing licenses. He also had a gun dealer’s permit and sold guns and ammo for hunting. Bennett’s was indeed a unique store.
Fully half of the store given over to the Soda Shop. It had a long counter with stools, several four seat tables and booths and a bustling lunch trade. In addition to the usual drug store fountain fare such as fountain cokes, milk shakes, ice cream, and sodas, Bennett’s served ham and ham salad sandwiches and what soon became known as the best Hot Dog in Asheville. Dick told me at one point that he was offered a thousand dollars (a lot of money in 1955) by the owner of the Saucy Sandwich Shoppe across the street for his secret chili recipe. Of course, he refused.
The soda fountain became a popular hangout for the teenagers of the eastern half of West Asheville; especially the middle school students from Nearby Hall Fletcher Junior High (Go Rebels). There was of course a great juke box plus all our favorite after school snacks and beverages. Dick was always very tolerant of this rowdy bunch as long as we behaved and didn’t annoy the rest of his patrons. I think it helped that he had three daughters who were middle school teens as well. Many West Asheville boys got their first job working for Bennett’s behind the fountain and making deliveries on bicycle.
Bennett’s was a West Asheville fixture for over 30 years. My company, PSA Pharmacies, bought the store lock, stock, barrel, and soda fountain in 1975 when Dick decided to retire. At the time we purchased it, most of the parking for the building had been lost to the construction of I-240 which came right by the store. We made the decision to move the store to another West Asheville location on Leicester (pronounced Les-ter) Highway next door to a furniture store, a popular seafood restaurant, and Ace hardware. The Soda Shop was left behind on Haywood Road and the restaurant was sold to one of our employees who continued to operate it for several years. It finally became a Mexican restaurant and is now a trendy art gallery in the new “hip” West Asheville.
Bennett’s hot dog lives on. As the owner of the soda fountain, I came into possession of the recipe for the chili. Of course, I needed to reduce the quantities of the ingredients. We sold hundreds of hot dogs a day not just 10 or 12. Bennett’s made the chili in a pot on the grill where it was left to simmer all day before it was used the next day. The hot dogs and buns were steamed in a commercial hot dog steamer. All the way meant Chili, Diced Onions, Yellow mustard, and Slaw (the fountain ladies made gallons at a time). Somehow, I neglected to get the recipe, but most good cooks can make good mayonnaise slaw. I do know that Bennett’s contained a bit of sugar; not too much.
