Armentrout's Pharmacy


Company Names, addresses, dates: 1
  Armentrout's Pharmacy, 303 1st Street SW, Roanoke VA (1924-27) 1,2
  Armentrout-Thornton Inc, 303 1st Street SW, Roanoke VA (1928-1937)
  Armentrout-Thornton Inc, 28 Franklin Rd SW, Roanoke VA (1931-1939)
  Armentrout-Thornton Inc, 513 S Jefferson, Roanoke VA (1932-1937)
  Thornton & Creasy, 513 S Jefferson, Roanoke VA (1940-1960+) 1,3

Notes:
In 1923, Dewitt Russel Armentrout (1894-1984)4 and his partner W. R. Helvestine parted ways from thier Clifton Forge drug store business called "Helvestine & Armentrout", trading as the Cliff Drug Company. 5
By 1924, Armentrout opened his own drug store in Roanoke, called "Armentrout's Pharmacy". 2

About 1928, Armentrout took on Harold Thornton (1893-1962)6 as a partner, changing the name of the business to "Armentrout-Thornton Inc". In the 1930s, they were operating 3 drugstores in Roanoke. 1

By 1940, their partnership had disolved, and 2 of their 3 stores had been sold. Thornton took on a new partner named "Howard Creasy", and they took over the store that was located at 513 S Jefferson Street. I don't know when that store finally closed down, but it lasted until at least 1960.1,3

I found no evidence that Harold Thornton is related to Robert Johnson Thornton of the Thronton-Thomas Pharmacy.


Bottles:
armentrout_01 Clear 6" bottle with a label:
label: ARMENTROUT'S PHARMACY / PRESCRIPTION WORK OUR SPECIALTY / Shenandoah Life Bldg., ROANOKE, VA. / ... Spray nose and throat / three times a day. / 11/5/24
embossed on the base: A G W


1 Roanoke City directories for the years: 1888-89,92,98,1902,04,06-18,20-24,26-39,41-43,45-46,48,51-53,56-58,60
2 The Roanoke Times, 24-Aug-1924, p.3 (Grand opening announcement)
3 Times-Register, 12-Jan-1940, p.7 (Thornton-Creasy announcement)
4 Find-a-grave entry for Dewitt Russel Armentrout
5 Daily Review, 2-Aug-1923, p.3 (Notice of Dissolution of Partnership)
6 Find-a-grave entry for Harold Thornton


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This page last updated on October 15, 2026.