The Center Drug Co


Company Names, addresses, dates:
  The Center Drug Co, 101 N. Main Street, Blacksburg VA

Notes:
Dr. Phillip Dow Hale (1892-1941)1 came to Blacksburg in 1915, working as a Pharmacist. He eventually started his own drug store.2
From comparing the view on the postcards below to modern views, it appears his store was at 101 N. Main Street.
The 1920 Census lists Hale as working in a Pharmacy in Blacksburg, whereas the 1930 and 1940 Census lists him as owning a pharmacy in Blacksburg. The only drugstores in Blacksburg that I know of circa 1920 are the "Wm. C. Ellett Drug Co" and the "Mutual Pharmacy", so it seems likely that Hale worked at one of those drug stores.
The earliest mention of the Center Drug Store that I could find was in the April-1927 edition of "The Virginia Druggist", so Hale started that store on-or-before that year.
I see newspaper ads for the Center Drug Store long after Hale passed away. The latest one I saw was from 1958, so the store lasted until on-or-after that year.

Bottles:

center_01 Clear 4.2" bottle with label:
label: CAMPHORATED OIL / ... / THE CENTER DRUG CO / BLACKSBURG, / VIRGINIA
center_04 Clear 4.2" bottle with label:
label: THE CENTER DRUG CO / BLACKSBURG, / VIRGINIA / Oil of Citronilla



Other Items:
center_05 This black & white postcard says "Street scene - Blacksburg, Va." on the front. The brick builing on the left has a sign that says "CENTER / DRUGS / PRESCRIPTIONS".
Based on the cars in the photo, I'd guess it's from the 1940s.
center_06 This was taken from Google in August 2020, showing roughly the same view down Main Sreet at cross street Roanoke Street.
center_02 This postcard says "Main Street Looking North, Blacksburg, Va.". The red brick builing on the left has a sign that says "CENTER DRUG CO / DRUGS / SANDWICHES".
The card is postmarked 1947.
center_03 This card may be an ink blotter. It says:
WELCOME / TO / Center Drug Company, / BLACKSBURG'S OLDEST DRUG STORE / P.D. HALE, PHG, PRES. T.F. WORTHAM, PHG, SECT'Y & TREAS. / The HOME of FUDGE SUNDAES, made with Ice Cream we make ourselves


1 Find-a-grave for Philip Dow Hale
2 Richmond Times Dispatch, 18-Jan-1941, page 20 (obituary for Dr. P.D. Hale)


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This page last updated on August 7, 2020.