McFalls Drug Stores


Company Names, addresses, dates: 1
  J.C. McFall & Co, 121 N. Union, Danville VA (c.1892)
  James C. McFall, 125 N. Union, Danville VA (c.1902-c.1908)
  McFall's Piedmont Drug Store, 298 Craghead, Danville VA (c.1908)
  McFalls North Side Drug Store, 631 N Main Street, Danville VA (c.1917)
  J.C. McFalls Drug & Seed Store, 108 N. Union, Danville VA (c.1917-c.1955)

  Frank McFalls Drug Co, 238 Main Street, Danville VA (c.1917-c.1921)
  Frank McFalls Drug Co, 328 Main Street, Danville VA (c.1927-c.1930)
  Frank B. McFall, 328 Main Street, Danville VA (c.1931-c.1941)

Notes:
James Clarence McFall (1868-1918) was a druggist in Danville, VA.2
The 1881 Danville city directory listed him as a drug clerk, but it doesn't say which drug store he was with. The 1892 directory listed him as having his own drug store at 121 N Union street, so he must have started that business sometime between those 2 years (1881 & 1892).
The 1908 city directory listed him as having 2 separate drug stores, one at 125 N Union Street and a 2nd one called "McFalls Piedmont Drug Store" at 298 Craghead street. The next directory I have access to is from 1917, and it again lists 2 stores, this time at 108 N Union Street and 300 Craghead street. McFall passed away in 1918.
Robert Haskins McFall (1901-1957)3, the son of James McFall, was the new proprietor. He ran the store at 108 N Union street until at least 19551, and probably until he died in 1957. The 1958 directory lists the new proprietor as Dan Myers, but the store is not listed in the 1960 directory, so apparently it was out of business by then.

Meanwhile...
Frank Bell McFall Sr. (1880-1960) also had a drugstore in Danville.4
I have not found any evidence that Frank was related to the McFalls above. He's not listed in the 1908 directory, but his drug store at 238 Main Street is first listed in 1917, so it likely started sometime between those 2 years (1908-1917).
In the 1927 directory, his store had moved to 328 Main Street, where it continued to operate until sometime between 1941 and 1943. His son, Frank B. McFall Jr. was listed as a clerk in his drug store during some of those years. In the 1950s, Frank Sr. was listed as a Pharmacist at Leas Drug Store in Danville.

Note that there was also a Wallace-McFall drugstore. I have not been able to determine which McFall (Frank, James, or one of James' Sons) was the junior partner of that drug store.

More information about Danville drug stores is available at rdricketts blog.

Bottles:

mcfall_01 This is a clear 4" (1 oz) bottle embossed:
vertical: 3i
vertical: McFalls / DRUG STORES / DANVILLE, VA.
base: C L G CO / 2
mcfall_03 This is a clear 3.2" (1/2 oz) bottle embossed:
vertical: 3iv
vertical: McFalls / DRUG STORES / DANVILLE, VA.
base: C L G CO / 2


Other Items:
mcfall_02 This postcard is postmarked 1933, and it shows a building on the right side of the street that has a sign that says: "FRANK McFALLS / DRUG / STORE".
At the bottom it says: "27. MAIN STREET LOOKING WEST, DANVILLE, VA.
mcfall_1925_01 This is a 1925 receipt from Frank McFall's Drug store. It says:
Header: FRANK McFALL'S DRUG STORE / Drugs, Soda, Candy, Toilet Articles, &c. / Danville, Va., Aug 31 1925 / SOLD TO / Mr. J.B. Thornton / Lee St. City / TELEPHONE 24 238 Main Street
Other graphical ads on the receipt include:
WATKINS MULSIFIED COCOANUT OIL SHAMPOO, Dr. HARRIS PRESCRIPTION, Richard Hudnut NEW YORK TOILET WATER, Nadinola, PALMOLIVE
mcfall_1923_01 This is a 1923 receipt from Frank McFall's Drug store. It says:
Header: Danville, Va., May 30 1923 / M J.B. Thornton / Bought of Frank McFall's Drug Store / Drugs, Soda, Candy, Toilet Articles / 238 Main Street
mcfall_04 This is a snippet from an 1894 Sanborn Fire Insurance map, showing the drugstore at address 121 N. Union Street, where J.C. McFall got started.

1 City directories for Danville VA, years: 1881,1892,1902,04,06,08,17,21,27,29,30,31,35,37,39,41,43,45,47,50,52,54,55,58,60
2 Richmond Times Dispatch, Aug 17, 1918, Page 5 (Obituary for James McFall)
3 Virginia Death Certificate 13393, Danville VA, Robert Haskins McFall, d:6-Jun-1957
4 Virginia Death Certificate 30609, Danville VA, Frank Bell McFall Sr, d:18-Dec-1960




Back to my drugtstore bottle home page.


This page last updated on September 30, 2019.