The mystery Capitol Hill soda machine
News News blog
A very special drinks vending machine stood in Capitol Hill, Seattle from the late 1990s until 2018. The old Coca-Cola machine from the 1970s had a special feature: In addition to a few normally labeled buttons, there were several “mystery” buttons that, when pressed, spat out unusual types of drinks, some of which were no longer produced.
Who filled the machine?
But what was actually special and mysterious was that nobody knew who was refilling the machine. Even the employees at the Broadway Locksmith store where the machine was located and who powered it claimed to have no idea who was looking after the machine. The legend soon arose that the old drinks machine was possessed by ghosts.
Growing popularity
Over the years the machine became more and more famous and popular. From initially being a mystery button, all six buttons were gradually converted into mysterious output buttons. Prices also rose with popularity - from 55 cents initially in 2002 to 1 dollar per can in 2018. A real cult arose around the machine, which even got its own Facebook page. In 2012 it even inspired a short film.
Sudden disappearance
But then on June 29, 2018, the Capitol Hill mystery soda machine suddenly disappeared. A note with the words “I went for a walk” hung in its place. The Facebook page said cryptically, "I'm going for a walk, need to find myself. Maybe even take a shower."
Whereabouts unclear
Over the next few months, the Facebook page posted edited photos of the machine in various locations around the city. But to this day it is still unclear what really happened to the iconic drinks machine and where it went. With it, a piece of the quirky soul of the Capitol Hill district disappeared, which has now become much more commercial. The legendary drinks machine remains missing - and its mystery remains unsolved.
