A View of the Independent Pharmacy | “How We Changed the Way We Spend”
A few weeks ago I came across one of my blog posts from a few years ago. While it only references a few businesses, I was curious to know how they are doing today but when the first two resulted in errors, I assumed it was my mistake. It wasn’t however; the links were as dead and lifeless as the establishments they’d once connected to, and a search of news articles told me what I feared; these historic icons had closed their doors forever. Out of the seven businesses mentioned in the blog post, two years later only five remained in operation. I wonder if I was bothered at the time that my post got little interest, and if I’d noticed it failed to reach people - but perhaps it was meant to resurface now - not to focus on doom and gloom, but maybe to spark conversation about the changes which are taking place all around us.
Where are we headed, I wondered, as we continue to embrace “one-click ordering”, the faceless and impersonal communication in today’s world, the shutting out of people from our daily lives? We whine, as a society, that we are becoming so much more secluded from each another than ever before, and yet each time we pull up our screens to place an order we are sliding further down the slippery slope of isolation. Ooops. You might be wondering how this blog post, in any way is going to relate to National Pharmacist Day, right? It’s because I cheat. When holidays or observations come up which can in some way be connected to independently-owned locations, I weave that topic into posts on my Facebook page which is all about supporting local businesses. Thus it should come as no surprise that National Pharmacist Day would lead us to explore the independently-owned pharmacies from coast to coast, asking readers for their favorites and showcasing the beloved shops dotting the landscape of America’s towns, rural areas and communities.
The links I’d clicked on had belonged to strong and vibrant economic pillars of their communities, and while some may shrug off their demise, to me it’s personal. I’m saddened to learn that Hinkles Pharmacy in Columbia, PA was established in 1893, while Lyon’s Pharmacy was described as “a part of Main Street Elkton, Maryland since the late 1800’s. And now, they are just….gone…no longer do they play a role in the lives of local residents or contribute an economic benefit for these towns. I searched for details about their demise, and as I’ve done so often, I wondered how this happened; were they poorly run or mis-managed? Unable to survive or draw in clients? Perhaps there was a death in the family? But it wasn’t for those reasons that these stores had ended their run, because the lines of print staring back at me told a familiar story seen so many times before; they simply became unwanted; insurance benefits changed; a new chain pharmacy perhaps was built nearby. For Hinkle’s, the restaurant portion of the business did remain open under new ownership, preserving some of the 71 jobs it had provided to the town, however the landmark pharmacy is gone. As to be expected, I muttered, thinking of all the excuses for why people no longer wish to support “the little guys”; how the curse of what I’ve referred to as “everything-all-under-one-roof syndrome” strikes again. It occurs as consumers pull away from what had been so time consuming - the act of physically entering several different buildings and businesses and actually speaking with one anther. I KNOW! What ridiculousness and absurdity of those old-fashioned days, right?
“Hinkle’s in Columbia to close after 124 years”
“Murphy agrees to acquire Hinkle’s Restaurant”
Lyons Pharmacy didn’t meet the same ending however. There was no partial closure, they instead shuttered their doors completely after almost a century and a half. I’d never been there but it still hurt to read the news, almost as if I’d lost one of my own hometown favorites. I guess in a sense, when you love, support, and are passionate about something, it’s going to bring about a sadness regardless of location.
“Lyons Pharmacy announces it’s closure after 142 years”
“Lyon’s Pharmacy Closes it’s Doors”
I think we stopped wanting to chat with the corner pharmacist, run into the local hardware store, or perhaps even get out of our cars. By today’s standards, such activities are viewed as time-wasters, right? We don’t want or care for conversation I don’t believe, nor do we see value in speaking face to face with another human being anymore, what with our world of chains and corporations and screens. We’re now mobile and hip, masters of the “one-click-lifestyle” with no need for such connections - in short, we have opted to cut off our involvement with such places while at the same time, maybe losing the sense of community which accompanied them.
I didn’t like where this was going so I headed out to run some errands, visiting the reassuringly familiar places in my own area here on the east coast. Four stops later my shopping was completed, after greeting a few familiar faces, laughing with an owner over a comical four legged customer in their pet supply store, and pausing to inquire about the health of a father, the first generation of the company. Later in the day I would ask my online followers to tell me about their favorite pharmacies; I’d look them up and read websites detailing a family’s legacy, finding out what some of the principles and mission statements were which defined these community icons. I’d hope they are still out there for us to learn about, but echoing in the back of my mind I’m hearing a voice telling me that for us to continue embracing these beloved places, our priorities of today would need to shift.
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