Cynthia Lucas, co-owner of Root Beer Saloon in Alto Pass, pours a root beer from the tap Sunday. Lucas has co-owned the saloon with Michael Blank for 13 years and said the idea for the Root Beer Saloon came to mind when Alto Pass was a dry town. Root beers from across the U.S. can be found at the saloon, along with a seafood-inspired menu, coffees, teas, spices, Blank’s hand-made taxidermy animals and his famous custom-made Zuni guitars. Blank, an SIU alumnus and administrator of 16 years, said traveling enabled him to gain a wealth of knowledge, experiences and hobbies to make his saloon one-of-a-kind. “There will never be another place like this,” he said. “A little slice of life can be found here.” — Tiffany Blanchette | Daily Egyptian