The Stained Glass Sundae: Mid-Century Modern Soda Service at Zaharakos

In a city globally recognized for its striking collection of Mid-Century Modern architecture, there is a different kind of monument standing on Washington Street. While the glass and steel of Eero Saarinen and I.M. Pei define the skyline of Columbus, Indiana, the interior of Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor captures a distinct, gilded moment of the American Midwest.

Walking through the front doors of Zaharakos is less like entering a restaurant and more like stepping into a living music box. The air is thick with the scent of toasted pecans and sugar, and the soundscape is dominated by the mechanical inhalation of a 1908 Welte orchestrion. This is a place where the 19th-century Greek immigrant dream met the booming prosperity of the industrial Heartland, preserved with such exacting detail that the modern world outside the plate-glass windows feels like the hallucination.

Local Story

The story of Zaharakos began in 1900 when three brothers from Greece—Louis, James, and Pete—opened a candy store. They didn't just want to sell sweets; they wanted to create a palace of indulgence. Over the next decade, they transformed the space into a cathedral of the Gilded Age. They commissioned a 40-foot backbar carved from Siamese mahogany, crowned with stained glass and mirrors that reflected the light of ornate brass chandeliers.

For generations, Zaharakos was the social heart of Columbus. It survived the World Wars, the Great Depression, and the rise of fast-food chains. However, by the early 2000s, the parlor had fallen into disrepair and eventually closed. The community feared the priceless fixtures—the soda fountains, the marble counters, and the massive orchestrion—would be auctioned off and scattered.

In 2007, local businessman Tony Moravec purchased the building and began a three-year restoration project that was as much an act of archeology as it was construction. He tracked down original components, restored the mechanical instruments to working order, and even expanded the space to include a museum of soda fountain history. Today, the parlor operates not as a replica, but as a continuation of the Zaharakos brothers' vision, serving the same house-made syrups and high-butterfat ice cream that made it a legend a century ago.

Experience Guide

When you visit Zaharakos, the routine is part of the charm. Find a seat at the long marble counter—the very same Mexican onyx installed by the brothers in 1905—or slide into a mahogany booth if you're with a group. The menu is a tribute to the American fountain tradition, featuring the 'Gom sandwich' (a local take on the sloppy joe) and traditional grilled cheeses, but the ice cream is the undeniable protagonist.

Ordering a soda is an educational experience. Zaharakos still uses double-spigot soda fountains manufactured by the Liquid Carbonic Company. These were the Ferraris of the early 1900s, allowing the 'soda jerk' to mix carbonated water and flavored syrups with precision. Watching the process is a reminder of how meticulous the art of the soft drink once was. Using Zuro can help you time your visit to avoid the peak weekend crowd, ensuring you get a front-row seat to the orchestrion performance.

After your meal, wander into the adjacent room to view the Mechanical Music Library and the collection of pre-prohibition syrup dispensers. The museum portion of the parlor houses one of the largest collections of soda fountain memorabilia in the world, including rare stained-glass lamps and mechanical banjos.

The Voice of the Orchestrion

The centerpiece of the parlor’s atmosphere is the 1908 Welte orchestrion. This massive mechanical instrument was originally designed to mimic an entire orchestra, using paper rolls to trigger pipes, drums, and triangles. It was shown at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair before finding a permanent home at Zaharakos. To hear it play today—bellowing out a frantic, joyful march—is to hear the exact sound that residents of Columbus heard over a hundred years ago. It remains one of the few instruments of its kind still in its original commercial location.

Architectural Contrast

The beauty of a trip to Zaharakos is its position within the broader context of Columbus history. Just blocks away, you can find the First Christian Church or the Cleo Rogers Memorial Library. Columbus is often called the 'Athens of the Prairie' due to its high concentration of world-class architecture. Zaharakos provides the Victorian and Edwardian counterpoint to the city’s modernist identity, representing the era of craftsmanship that preceded the clean lines and functionalism of the 1950s architectural boom.