02 Broadcaster Press January 20, 2015 www.broadcasteronline.com 1101 Announcements Events Gun Show Dakota Territory Gun Collectors: Buy/Sell/Trade. Saturday, January 25, 9am-5pm. Sunday, January 26, 9am-3pm. Easton Archery Center East Hwy. 50, Yankton. Admission $5. Concessions available. 1200 The Art of Success Series: Davis Pharmacy: All Local, All Friends, All the Time By Sarah Wetzel For the Plain Talk Arguably one of the oldest businesses in town, Davis Pharmacy sits at 5 West Cherry Street waiting to provide personalized attention and customer service you would expect from a business that is local to its’ roots. “We’ve been here a long time,” said owner Tom Lavin. “I’ve had it since 1970. Sandy’s dad had it from ‘32 to ‘70. Sandy’s grandad had it before that.” The pharmacy business is actually what brought Lavin and his wife, Sandy, together when they met here at the university. “Sandy and I are both Pharmacists,” Lavin said. “Sandy has worked for the hospital for 35 years. I’ve run this for about 44 years.” Though Lavin has been running Davis Pharmacy for over four decades, it’s nothing compared to how long it’s been open. According to Lavin, its’ origins predate South Dakota itself. “Originally it started back in 1879,” he said. “It was one of the first towns up the river. That was back when this was still Dakota Territory. There was the Sioux City then the Vermillion then the Yankton pharmacies. It went up the river that way.” As one of the first pharmacies in the territory, the original location was in old Vermillion below the bluffs. According to the History of Dakota Territory, the pharmacy began as a drug store which was founded by Alfred Helgeson, a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. “This is actually the fourth location,” Lavin said. “The flood of 1881 wiped out the first location. It was down below the hill. Then it moved up to Market St. where Civic Council is.” Watermarks from the flood can still be seen on some early records. But the pre-Civic Council was not to be the pharmacy’s final resting place. “After 20 years they built around the corner on Main St,” Lavin said. The Main St. location is now the home of Silk Road Cafe. During the time the Colleg College of Fine Arts ege ge Arts ts Depa Department of Music partment nt t Music s Present Presents Presents store was on Main St. it changed hands to Roy C. Davis, Sandy Lavin’s grandfather, and became Davis Pharmacy. Since then ownership has passed to Davis’ son Marshall and then to Lavin and his wife. “We stayed [on Main St.] until about 15 years ago and we moved out here,” Lavin said of their current location. According to Lavin, the current building is in a better location with better parking. “It’s a good location here,” he said. “In the retail sense we’re in the part of town that matters. We have to get so many people through. If a person runs a place that only has to get 20 people through a day, that’s different. We just wound up downtown with new restaurants starting up and it was just a killer as far as parking was involved.” Lavin said that the customer pool consists entirely of locals and students. “We serve the local area,” he said. “As far as further than that, none at all. There are some students but most of them are pretty healthy so they don’t need much.” So what keeps a business like Davis Pharmacy running for over a century? “It’s a personal touch,” Lavin said. “These people are all friends and neighbors. They live next door and they come in here every week or every month. We’ve known them for *CASH TODAY* We'll Buy Any Car (Any Condition) + Free Same-Day Pick-up. Best Cash Offer Guaranteed! Call for FREE Quote: 888-654-4994 (MCN) *CASH TODAY* We'll Buy Any Car (Any Condition) + Free Same-Day Pick-up. Best Cash Offer Guaranteed! Call for FREE Quote: 877-629-9182 (MCN) 1996 Pontiac Grand AM, 4dr, red, good shape, $1,500 firm. 605-670-0346. Davis Pharmacy, boasting over a century of local business and ownership, focuses on taking good care of its customers. Davis Pharmacy is located at 5 West Cherry Street. SARAH WETZEL / FOR THE PLAIN TALK years.” Lavin agrees that this is a key aspect that separates their pharmacy from other larger pharmacies. “Of all things that’s kept us going, that’s probably the biggest,” he said. “One of the nicest things about this business is you get to work in a place where you have people pop in that have been friends for years. You wouldn’t be in business without them.” This does not come without challenges according to Lavin. “One of the challenges is working with the insurances of the state,” he said. “Some of the insurance companies if they make their money and you don’t make any, that’s just too bad.” Davis Pharmacy has also been held up at gunpoint twice with the culprits arrested both times. According to the pharmacy history, the gunman from the first robbery returned to apologize to Lavin following his release from prison. Despite any difficulties, Lavin said they have no plans to 17th Annual Annual n US Qua State Honor an Festival Concert USD Quad State Hono Band Festival Concert USD Quad State Honor Band Festiva Concert State ta stival nc r v Featuring Conductor/Compose Featuring Conductor/Composer atu in Conductor/C n c /Composer David Shaffer and USD’s own Ga David Shaffer and USD’s own Gar y L. Reeves av Shaffe ffe USD’s w Gary Re ve S ’ Reeves Monday, January 26, 2015 ay, January y ary Aalfs Auditorium, Slagle Hal Aalfs Auditorium, Slagle Hall lf ditoriu i lag 7:00 PM Spon ore Sponsored by: Sponsored by r Free Admission! Free Admission! ee Adm ssion Cars *CASH TODAY* We'll Buy Any Car (Any Condition) + Free Same-Day Pick-up. Best Cash Offer Guaranteed! Call for FREE Quote: 1-888-339-5747 (MCN) The family of Billie James would like to thank everyone for the love and support shown to us during the loss of our wife, mother and grandmother. We appreciate all of the prayers, calls, visits, cards, food, flowers and memorials. Billie loved her USD and Vermillion community, her Grace Baptist Church family, and her caregivers at the Sanford Vermillion Care Center and Hospice. Thanks to the GBC ladies who provided a delicious lunch and Hansen Funeral Home for all your help. Billie will be missed so much but she will live in our hearts forever. Parents and Teachers of St. Agnes School invite you to a move on any time soon. The pharmacy stocks not only prescriptions but also over-thecounter medicines and various gifts. The inventory has changed drastically over the century. According to its history, the store was “the legal” source of alcohol during prohibition. It served as a sort of general store selling paint, wallpaper, tobacco, cosmetics, fountain treats, five-cent Cokes, coffee and pastries. The current staff is dedicated to doing what they do best. “We have people stop in and they’ll say they have a stuffy nose, what can we do about it and we’re experts at that,” Lavin said. “That’s probably where we get the most people. It makes for some fun stories and that’s what I love. It’s all about people.” Lavin and his wife have five children, two of which are pharmacists as well. Their son, Matt, actually works at Davis pharmacy alongside Lavin. “With any kind of luck when I’m done maybe he might want it. You never know, it’s hard to say. You cross that path when you cross that path.” PRECISION PAINTING CARS/TRUCKS WANTED! Top $$$$$ PAID! Running or Not, All Years, Makes, Models. Free Towing! We're Local! 7 Days/Week. Call Toll Free: 1-888-416-2330 nani CASH FOR CARS: Any Make, Model or Year. We Pay MORE! 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