The old drugstore in Allerton, Iowa, dates to the late 1800s. Ross and Lorena Blount had visited the store many times over the years and got a chance to purchase it in its second century of operation.
“We must not let this go, we must not have one empty store front totally stripped with broken windows making us look dead,” Lorena recalls.
That was back in 2008. The couple had witnessed the closing of the local feed and grain store, forcing them to drive further for their farm supplies. So, when the drug store was up for sale, they knew this was about much more than one business. It was about saving their town.
5 Answered the Call
Ross put out a call to others who had an interest in the old drug store and the future of this town of about 500 people.
“We said anybody that’s interested should show up at the gazebo and we’re just going to see what we can do to do something about this,” he says. “Five of us showed up.”
The mayor, a local business owner and a head start teacher were a few of those who gathered and eventually set up a non-profit board to purchase, renovate and operate the store. The store was the place so many had flocked to over the decades and it would once again serve that purpose.
“We really wanted a place where kids could gather, and adults could gather and children could play games. So, there’s something for everybody,” Lorena says.
The centerpiece is the restored soda fountain that serves up treats to folks of all ages.
“It was in very bad condition; there was rust inside. It’s the original 1952 model, but its either been replaced or had stainless steel put in where it had rusted through,” Lorena says.
Floats, Antacids and Swamp Root
The group has worked to recreate the entire experience, serving ice cream floats and providing a place to gather and entertain. Richard Henderson, a graduate of the former high school and a retired pharmacist, brought his vintage pharmacy collection to recreate the ambience of what the store perhaps looked like in decades past. That collection fascinates many who stop in the store.
“The antacid section was a really big section,” Henderson says. “They must have had a lot of stomach problems back in the 1920s and 30s — or constipation — because that’s a large part of what was in a pharmacy.”
You can find just about anything on these shelves. Some names are familiar, others are from the past and still others make you wonder what the product was even designed to treat. Items on the shelves like “Swamp Root” fall in that latter category.
The group of volunteers has enjoyed bringing the place back to life and giving back to the community. They look forward to reopening the store once winter weather and COVID-19 have passed so locals and visitors alike can delight in the store that has been serving up great ice cream floats and great memories for over a century.
Drawing upon his travels and experiences as a farmer and rancher, radio broadcaster and speaker, Andrew McCrea shares stories on “U.S. Farm Report,” a daily radio segment and weekly podcast.
