When the owner of the Olmos Pharmacy listed his business on eBay in 2005, regulars worried that a new owner would close the iconic pharmacy and soda fountain, which has been around since 1938. The pharmacy did close, but the soda fountain has remained intact, offering hamburgers and thick shakes during the day. And come nightfall, you can sip a glass of Becker Riesling or down a Shiner Bock at the new Olmos Bharmacy, which occupies the space originally used for the pharmacy. ’It was the most viable solution for the location, to be able to save it in its current state as much as possible to be able to preserve the history,’ said Dru Van Steenberg, owner of the Bharmacy, which opened in October. Who goes there: Residents of Monte Vista and Olmos Park and a few students from nearby Trinity University and University of the Incarnate Word. Behind the bar: The bar is the old pharmacy counter, and dozens of wine bottles are displayed where prescriptions were once filled. Try the ’flu shot’ — port mixed with Red Bull — or the beer milkshake made with Guinness. The bar offers more than 25 imported and domestic bottled beers ranging in price from $3 to $5. Domestics cost $2.50 during happy hour from 4-6 p.m. Wines cost $5.50-$8 by the glass. Bottles of wine, mostly in the $20-$35 range, are also available to go. Wine and beer tastings are planned and patrons are encouraged to suggest additions to the menu. There are no mixed drinks. Munchies: The soda fountain closes at 4 p.m., but chips and salsa, hummus and pita chips and other snacks are available. Fun and games: A TV, Wi-Fi and an old-fashioned scale, on which you can weigh yourself for free. Music: An old-fashioned bubbler jukebox is stocked with albums primarily from the ’60s to the ’80s, including Frank Sinatra, Van Morrison, Santana and Stevie Ray Vaughan. The skinny: The idea of a bar inside a pharmacy isn’t so bizarre — during Prohibition, the only legal way to obtain alcohol was with a doctor’s prescription. And Van Steenberg is having fun celebrating the bar’s history: your bill is delivered in a prescription bottle, and the bartender wears a white lab coat and a nametag that says ’Your Friendly Neighborhood Bharmacist.’ In addition to repainting the building and adding more seating inside, Van Steenberg — who is also immediate past president of the Monte Vista Historical Association — has restored the original neon to the entrance and is collecting historic photos of the neighborhood to post on the walls. The Bharmacy is a welcome addition to the Monte Vista/Olmos Park neighborhoods, which are sorely lacking in bars. Not to mention that it offers a good variety of beer and wines — or, as the menu puts it, ’the cure for what ales you.’ The little soda shop on McCullough has re-emerged as a bar, or, as they put it, a "bharmacy.” Aside from the alcohol and extended hours, though, not much has changed about Olmos Pharmacy (pardon, Bharmacy). There is still the same throwback charm—the burgers, shakes, lunch counter, and neon sign that has not budged since 1938. However, between 4pm and midnight, and in addition to malts and cokes, they also serve beer and wine. The epitome of the merger between old time soda shop and modern day watering hole is the beer milkshake. Yes, beer milkshake. It is a concoction that sounds either too good to be true or too gross even for Fear Factor. And actually, it’s quite tasty. They mix Guinness into vanilla ice cream, and the classic Irish stout combines well with the milky texture, creating a sort of coffee-flavoured shake. Olmos Bharmacy is a testament to the resistance to change as well as the desire to keep things fresh. So next time, dare to be a little different when visiting San Antonio"s long standing soda shop, and wash down that burger and fries with a beer milkshake.