Green's Drug Store


Company Names, addresses, dates:
  Hopkins, Dr. H.C., Corner of Bridge & Main Streets, Bedford VA (ca.1905) 1
  Mosby Drug Co, W.H. Mosby prop., Corner of Bridge & Main Streets, Bedford VA (1906-1910) 1
  Roadcap, S.M., Corner of Bridge & Main Streets, Bedford VA (1911-ca.1927) 1
  Heller Drug Store, G.E. Heller prop., Corner of Bridge & Main Streets, Bedford VA (ca.1935-1938) 1,2
  Bocock Drug Co., J.H. Bocock prop., Corner of Bridge & Main Streets, Bedford VA (1938-1939) 1,3
  Jones Drug Store, J.H. Jones prop., Corner of Bridge & Main Streets, Bedford VA (1939-1942) 5,6
  Jones Drug Store, C.E. Green prop., Corner of Bridge & Main Streets, Bedford VA (1942-1945) 6
  Green's Drug Store, Corner of Bridge & Main Streets, Bedford VA (1945-1962+) 7,8

Notes:
According to this web site , the Green's drug store building at the corner of Bridge & Main Streets was built in 1886.

The earliest directory entry for this drug store that I could find was 1905, when it was owned by Dr. H. C. Hopkins. The 1906 directory lists it as the Mosby Drug Co., run by W. H. Mosby. 1,2
The drug store stays in Mosby's name until 1911, when it changes to S.M. Roadcap1.
In 1915, Roadcap sold the store to G.E. Heller4, but it continued under Roadcap's name until at least 19271, before taking on the Heller name.

In 1938, the business was purchased by J. H. Bocock3. He only kept it for about a year, because in 1939 it became the Jones Drug Store, with J. H. Jones as the proprietor5.

In 1942, Charles E. Green (1912-1993)9 purchased the drug store6.
Green kept the "Jones Drug Store" name until 1945, at which time the name changed to the "Green Drug Store".
It continued as Green's Drug store until at least 19628 (probably longer, as my access to newspapers after the 1960s are very limited).

Today it is a museum called the Bedford Boys Tribute Center, and is a tribute to WWII soldiers from Bedford, based on the events at Green's Drug Store in 1944. On July 17th, 1944 (after D-Day), Western Union Telegrams were received at Green's Drug Store, delivering bad news that 19 soldiers from Bedford were either missing or killed in action. Details are available at this news story from ABC news, by Noreen Turyn.


Bottles:

green_01 This is a green 3.1" screw-top bottle with a label from 1968 that says:
label: YOUR HEALTH IS OUR PROFESSION / CHAS. E. GREEN, PROP. / GREEN'S DRUG STORE / PHONE 586-8361 / ON THE CORNER / BEDFORD, VA. / ... 1-22-68 ...



Other items:
green_02 This postcard depicts Green's drugstore. I don't know the date of the postcard, because it is unused (i.e. no post office cancelation date on the back). My guess would be about 1950.


1 Various Virginia State pharmacy directories, years: 1905,06,08,10,11,12,13,16,19,21,27,35,37
2 Bedford Bulletin, 1-Sep-1938, pages 1 & 10 ("Local Drug Business Is Changing Hands")
3 Bedford Bulletin, 6-Jul-1939, page 1 ("Bocock Drug Co Bought by J.H. Jones")
4 Bedford Bulletin, 20-Jul-1939, page 1 ("Dr. S.M. Roadcap Returns to Bedford")
5 Bedford Bulletin, 6-Jul-1939, page 4 ("Announcement")
6 Bedford Bulletin, 5-Mar-1942, page 1 ("Jones Drug Store Changes Ownership")
7 Bedford Bulletin, 18-Oct-1945, page 4 (1st mention I found with the name "Green's Drug Store")
8 Bedford Bulletin, 18-Jan-1962, page 4 (latest ad I found for "Green's Drug Store")
9 Find-a-grave for Charles Edward Green


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This page last updated on January 15, 2022.