Hook's Drugs

[David Sechrest]

For many years, Hook's had a business in the "new" strip mall along State Street in East Columbus. They also had a location in Eastbrook Plaza.

[David Sechrest]

Hook's Drugs had several locations in and around Columbus. The one I was most familiar with was the one in East Columbus. Back when I attended State Street Elementary, a new shopping center was built, more or less on the corner of State and Mapleton. I can't remember what was in this area before they built the shopping center. Jay-C was located in the larger part of the shopping center, with frontage directly on State Street. Hook's Drugs was sort of behind Jay-C (just as a matter of note, Jay-C moved from the corner of Center Street and State Street into this new shopping center). Originally, the shopping center consisted of only Jay-C and Hooks. The building where the flower shop is today was added later, which at the time of opening, was Irwin Union Bank.

Hook's also had a location in Eastbrook Plaza. I think these two were the only Hooks in Columbus (am I missing one?).

Hooks was the only "chain store type" drug store in Columbus. All of the others were locally owned and operated.

[nancs]

Hi David, and all. I think that you are missing the Hook's Drug Store downtown on the NW corner of 5th and Washington. I know that somewhere else there are some comments about that store. And in some of those Washington Street photos in probably the 40s thread, you can see it clearly. Maybe in the photo that shows Gause Cafe, as well.

Inserting from the 40s thread entry # 46 from Babs

Yes, Hooks would've been on the Northwest corner. Used to go in there and buy "malted milk tablets", does anyone remember them? I seem to think they came in a little bottle and they were so good. This is now the corner where the Irwin-Union Bank sets. The bank used to be on the SW corner but moved when the new building was constructed.

Also check out 40s folder, my response #45, on page 4, which also sort of applies.

Nanc

[Gregg]

The Hook's 5th and Washington location was where I first recall seeing ceiling fans.....Hunters, no doubt.

[mrmoosey]

Memory makes me say the drug store at the corner by Irwin Union bank was a Rexall Drugstore. I hoenstly don't remember Hooks downtown. I do remember Eastbrook Plaza and State St

[Babs]

There was a Hooks Drug store right on the very corner where the Irwin Union Bank now sits. Some of us kids used to skip out of church during the sermon time and run over there and get a cold drink on Sundays. We always sat upstairs so we could slip out and go unnoticed as we left church.

[nancs]

Hi to all, and to confirm that a Hook's Drug Store existed on that NW corner of 5th and Washington, check out 'Washington St./Downtown History' and reply # 10, a photo, does show the store sign, just above the liquor sign.

Think there are other Washington St. photos in other threads that also confirm that location, as well.

Nanc

[RER]

"Still Using Hooks Drugs Bought In Columbus For Cuts Today"

When my Dad died many years ago I kept some things, but these two brought back many memories of Dad's shopping patterns. They no longer make Mercurochrome for public use because of the mercury content. The other bottle is Mertalolate. As a young guy at home in Columbus Dad & Mom always said go put these two solutions on your cuts in the bathroom.

Believe it we still use these two bottles for finger or leg cuts and so do my grandkids if they get cut at our house.



My Dad always went to hooks on State Street in East Columbus.

Both my brothers have also used contents from these two bottles over the years.

I wonder how many Columbus folks have stuck away old Hooks Drug Store items.

In 1985 The Kroger Company outbids Rite Aid Corporation, which had attempted a hostile takeover, and acquired Hook’s Drugs.

In 1994 Hook’s-SupeRx was acquired by Revco. The Hook’s name is retired and Revco agreed to donate Hook’s Historical Drug Store and Pharmacy Museum to the Hook Drug Foundation, a not-for-profit organization.

Go Here For History of Hooks & The Museum :

www.rxmuseum.org/information.htm


Bob

[nancs]

Hmmm, have no clue the source of the 'purple medicine' that we used to doctor cuts on the horses. I think the real name is 'Jensen Violet.' DocWendy, where are you??? Somehow, it was not 'uncommon' for the purple horse med to find its way to a human being. Think the very best 'tale' ever was when my dad's dear sister was visiting at our home, managed somehow to cut her leg, through the precious nylons of 'war days.' OMG, my dad promptly grabbed the 'purple medicine' and dabbed same right through the nylons and all. It is a small wonder that his older sister didn't kill him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nanc

[Babs]

I remember some purple medicine that was used if you got impetigo! Could this possibly be the same medicine you mention as "horse medicine". Also know if you saw someone with this horrible colored "stuff" on their bodies, you knew they had this awful thing. Anyone know if it was all the same?

I only remember one time and I had fallen off the swings at Donner Park (most likely trying to "fly higher than anyone else"), and I ended up with this terrible place on my knee from the fall.
Think my mom got hold of some of this purple junk and I know I was so embarrassed to have that on my sore knee. I still have a scar on that knee to this day.

[terrys]

I used to work at Hooks on State. RER, I can tell you that both of those bottles were bought at the Eastbrook store. The one was priced (or price changed) in Feburary 1990 (or technically could be 1980 or 1970, but I doubt it. The second is from November of 1989 (or possibly 1979 or 1969).

Somewhere around 1980, the Westhill Store was started at West Hill Shopping Center next to the Jay C Store, making it the third opened at that time. There was a failed hostile takeover somewhere around 1985 or 1986 by Rite Aid. Kroger bought Hooks to learn the drug business thus saving it from the takeover. After a year or two (I think, maybe even a few) Hooks merged with SupeRX. I believe Kroger was out of it by that time. Revco bought Hooks in 1994 I think. Somewhere around this time there was a buyout of the Dibble Drug Store. Both it seems were pretty close to one another, but I am relatively sure that Revco owned Hooks by the time the buyout of Dibbles happened. I suppose it could have happened a little while after Revco bought Hooks, but it doesn't seem offhand it was a real long time.

In 1997 Revco was sold to CVS. I believe Rite Aid once again tried to get it from Revco and heard a rumor that the guy who owned Rite Aid had made the comment he WOULD get those Hooks stores. I have no way to know for sure if that is true or not.

In 1997, in the midst of the buyout from Revco, the State Street store completed moving from its old location (where the Dollar Store is now) to where the Jay C Store had been. This had been started prior to the buyout and the first day the new store was "open" was 11/02/97, I believe.

Somewhere from 2001-2002 (I think), a new stand alone store was built on the west side and the CVS in Westhill moved into it. I don't know exactly when, but research tells me that approval was given in the city for building it in early 2001. The Eastbrook store was closed some months ago in favor of the new one built in the former Blockbuster Video location which I think had been The Waffle House and I am told was formerly Bob O' Link. This move meant that none of the Hooks stores were in their previous locations that they had been when they were Hooks Drugs.

[RER]

Welcome aboard Terrys you will find this board is user friendly and a lot of information and pictures are compiled within. The board is only successful because of people like you, that post items and have discussions. There are many people that only read what is posted, some are members and some not.

We highly urge you to continue your posting of things your remember around Columbus and Bartholomew County. The Hooks Drug store article was great. My Dad's two bottles that you mentioned were probably bought in the earlier years you sited. He was 86 when he died in 1996. He wasn't able to drive for most of his last 10 years or more. He had severe hip problems that restricted his ability to drive around town including any trips to hooks.

Once again welcome to the boards.

Bob

[terrys]

Thanks. I am Richard's cousin. In fact his son worked there before me and I found out about the job from him. I know the info from the sale stickers. Store 73 was Eastbrook, State Street was Store 41 and Westhill 327. They all got new numbers when Revco bought them out and again when CVS bought them out. However the CVS Number is the old Revco Number + 3000.

The code to read the old Hooks stickers is as follows: The top six digit number is the item number to order by.
The three digit number on the left beneath is the store number. The two digits to the right breakdown like this. The letters A-L are used to correspond to the month. A=Jan, B= Feb up to L=December. The number is the last digit of the year. That is why I could not be for sure of which decade, but knew the year within the decade.

The Key Number was the department. 1 was RX, 2 was OTC, 3 three was Sundries, 4 might have been liquor, we never had it so I am not sure. 5 was OTC NonTax (baby formula for one), 6 Tobacco, 7 Cigarettes, 8 Toiletries, 9 Cosmetics, 10 Candy, 11 Candy Nontax (chips, nuts etc.). Eventually they may have added more, but if they did, they escape me. One might have been prestige cosmetics or perfume or something although they were at one point on number 9. I think that is pretty good though for not using it for roughly 12 years. The other info in my article above was mostly by memory too.

[BobLane]

I remember Hook's had a fine ice cream bar and I sort of stopped there when I would work after school at Standard. I had a friend who was a soda-jerk, I believed they were called back then. I got my first banana split there. My friend would put 5 dips of ice cream rather than the three we were to get. Got him fired later. Just can't remember his name right now. Bob Lane