The Capitol Hill mystery soda machine was a vending machine located in Capitol Hill, Seattle. It was famous for its "mystery" buttons that gave out unusual drink flavors. It is unknown who restocked the machine, which led to a local legend that the machine was haunted. This legend later became a lasting source of interest among people. The machine operated from the late 1990s until its mysterious disappearance in 2018.
Description
The machine was placed in front of Broadway Locksmith on East John Street in Seattle, Washington. It was a Coca-Cola-branded unit made in the 1970s, but it gave out drinks from different companies. A drink could be chosen by pressing one of the "mystery" buttons, and the drinks usually had strange or unusual flavors. Some of these flavors were no longer being made. Broadway Locksmith provided electricity to power the machine. Some people thought the business might be involved in keeping the mystery alive, but employees say they do not know who operated or restocked the machine. The machine also has a Facebook page connected to it.
History
Seattle Met and The Seattle Times reported that the machine has been working since at least the late 1990s. In 2002, drinks cost $0.55, and the machine had one "mystery" button next to five labeled buttons. After media coverage, all six buttons became "mystery" buttons over time. A story that the machine was haunted began to spread. Hilary Pollack of Vice said this legend likely came from the machine’s 1970s-style look and its unusual, sometimes scary appearance on the sidewalk. Zosha Millman of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer noted that people became interested in the machine’s culture.
In 2012, a short film was made inspired by the machine’s mystery. In 2014, online photos showed unknown people restocking the machine. That same year, the price for a drink rose to $0.75. In 2015, a spokesperson for The Seattle Times said the city had no records of permits for the machine. In January 2018, the same month Seattle introduced a tax on sugary drinks, the price increased to $1.00.
On June 29, 2018, the machine was removed during repairs to a nearby bus stop and sidewalk. A note nearby said, "Went for a walk." A message on the machine’s Facebook page read, "Going for a walk, need to find myself. Maybe take a shower even." An employee of Broadway Locksmith said the machine was removed carefully and intentionally because of how it was connected to electricity. After it disappeared, the Facebook page shared edited photos of the machine in places like the Space Needle and the Eagle sculpture. In 2022, the page posted a photo showing the machine looked more damaged. In August 2023, a Broadway Locksmith employee confirmed the machine had not been seen since its disappearance. Allison Williams of Seattle Met noted that the Capitol Hill neighborhood now has a more business-like culture and questioned if the area is still strange enough to support a mystery like the machine.