Wednesday, August 20, 2008

DRUGSTORES

Those of us who lived in Thief River Falls in the fifties and sixties remember three drugstores:

Ekeren's on Third Street right by the pool hall entrance where the guys hung out and watched the girls and the cars go by and other things we may never know. How much time they actually spent in the pool hall itself is not known. They lined up and leaned againest the pillars and in between.

Ekeren's had Mabel who was a salesperson and she make little Dick's at the soda fountain. She was the grand dame.

Another drugstore, which came later, was J and B Drugs. It was on Third Street, on the same side of the block as S&L, only a block farther east. They had a gift shop in the basement. They gave green stamps.

And then there was Parkins Corner Drug on the corner of Second Street and LaBree Avenue South. Everyone knew Jim Parkins. When Jim owned the store, there was a lunch counter which served the very best egg salad sandwiches.

Now what you probably didn't know is that JB cut rate drugstore opened for in August of 1940 in its new quarters in the attractive Odd Fellows building on the corner of the Second and LaBree under the proprietorship Johnson and Baumann. This store is affiliated with Walgreen Co. of Chicago. The news store, completely remodeled front, presents an attractive appearance, and is equipped with the latest display type of fixtures. The store offers a large tobacco section.
The manager of the storm will be Jim Parkins.


Opening specials included:




Baby Brownie camera, coat 69 cents
Eastman camera, $1.70.
Eastman Browning Jr., 620, $1.70.


127 film --17 cents
120 film -- 20 cents
620 film --20 cents
116 and 616 film--25 cents


Cigarettes
Popular brands
13 cent s pack

It appears Ekeren's, J and B, and Parkins are all gone. Where do children get their Little Dick's and egg salad sandwiches?

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