Carpenter's Drugs

[David Sechrest]

Carpenter's Drugs was a popular downtown business in the 1950's and 1960's. Originally located just south of Papa Harry's Downtown Deli, they relocated to the sw corner of 5th & Washington sometime in the late 1950's.

[nancs]

Was thinking about the local drug stores, which in the 1951 phone directory were listed under 'Druggists' in the yellow pages. Do you remember back by the pharmacist's work area at the back of the store, there was a large glass vessel filled with a colored liquid sitting high up on a tall counter? According to an internet search this urn was called a 'carboy,' a symbol of long standing with pharmacists.

My other thought along these lines, the drug store was where you would purchase a hot water bottle. as an example, to make an aching ear or a sick tummy feel better. Had reason here recently to look for that item---------hmmm, the times are 'a-changin' as the young clerk rather looked at me like I was crazy. Apparently the hot water bottle of our memory, has been replaced with supplies that you heat in a microwave.

Anyone else?

Nanc

[tim ault]

I remember Carpenters Drugs in Columbus Center in early 70s as I would visit to buy all the Topps baseball, football, basketball and even hockey cards they had in stok. I started my baseball card collecting for real at that store. The cashier knew me I believe Norma Weaver and she would even save full boxes for me to buy when I could come there on Saturday. Fun Saturday afternoons as as a 10 year old opening wax packs, cello packs and rack packs of Topps cards to collect the whole set of 660 or 787 set of card and football of 528 cards. I still have all the cards. Cards I paid 2cents for are worth $50-$2000 today. At 15 I would ride my bike from east columbus to columbus center to collect cards from there. Collecting cards got me through a tough childhood growing up. Made some great friends such as Gary Shafer collecting cards. Hobby was so different then than today as 15cent packs and 25cent sello packs and today you get half the cards for $2 and $3 a pack. Prices todays kids from a real childhood hobby and a real right of passage as a kid. Feel so sorry for todays kids that don't know what collecting really felt like as it wasn't about the money as it was about the players and teams you liked and trying to get all 660 cards in a set. As a grown up I find todays costs are more than I can or want to spend on cards and really makes me sad as it was such a fun hobby that I cannot really afford anymore with prices so high.

[smbult]

I worked in Carpenter's at 5th & Washington my sophomore through senior years. '55-'57.I remember Mr. Carpenter as a white haired gentleman. His Son-in-law took over the store and I also babysat for his family. This is where I learned about how to properly apply makeup and be wary of the men who came in on Saturday night to buy Hair Tonic. I was told they drank it. I later moved to their branch store farther north on Washington Street. This was a pharmacy only with just a few other products.