I remember being a little annoyed at the time that my post got little interest when shared on the Live Local, USA Facebook page, but maybe it was meant to resurface now instead. Not to dwell on doom and gloom of course, but perhaps to spark a new conversation about the changes taking place all around us. Where are we headed as we continue to embrace “one-click ordering” and the faceless, impersonal communication of today’s world? Our society tends to whine sometimes - about how sad it is that we are becoming more secluded from one another than ever before - but that doesn't seem stop us from clicking away on our devices and avoid going into stores and actually talking with people, does it? (ugh)
Oh, you might be wondering how this post has anything to do with National Pharmacist Day......well, each time a holiday or observation comes up on the calendar, what immediately pops into my mind are the mom and pop owners and independent retail stores. I seek out their stories, share their posts and generally take advantage of such opportunities to advocate the support of small business. It is however, a sad thing to see my previous blog post and discover that both Hinkles Pharmacy in Columbia, PA (established 1893), and Lyon's Pharmacy of Elkton, MD (part of the town since the late 1800's), are now closed. Articles: “Hinkle’s in Columbia to close after 124 years” and “Lyon’s Pharmacy Closes it’s Doors”.
Naturally, I wondered how these places could have ceased operations. Were they poorly run or mismanaged, did the owners retire or perhaps there had been a death in the family? Unfortunately their closures were not for these reasons; it appears to me the indie pharmacies simply became less important in the eyes of their residents until finally, the doors were closed forever. In Hinkle’s case, while the landmark pharmacy is gone, the restaurant part of the business went on to reopen under new ownership, preserving some of the 71 jobs it had provided to the town (Murphy agrees to acquire Hinkle’s Restaurant - Restaurant to remain open!). There was no partial closure for Lyon's however, as the business closed completely after almost a century and a half. It hurt to read the news, almost as if I’d lost one of my own local places, because when you support, love and are passionate about something, I guess any such stories will bring a sadness to one, regardless of location. [P.S. Visit the "new Hinkle's restaurant" on Facebook or see their website.]
Apart from insurance nightmares, financial challenges and the presence of mega-chains in today's retail market, there's more to the demise of such places. I believe our society has chosen convenience rather than personal attention, enthusiastically proclaiming how much time we save, boasting that we no longer have time to waste in conversation with the local pharmacist or worry about the shorter hours of an independent. We may have begun to view visits to what once was the cornerstone of a town as old-fashioned pr annoying, and we'd much rather escape a face to face chat by ordering up as many items as possible on our shiny screens and devices. Those who still shop in person are starting to believe that loading the family up and traveling to the big box stores selling everything from apples to tires - is the wining solution because look - no more stops at different locations!
Picking up a prescription isn't about a relationship with a human or the sense of community experienced while visiting a local shop. It's now just one more thing we can do while at the "everything-under-one-roof" place. I want to share this feeling of sadness and point out how we are losing ourselves with these choices and decisions, but I'm a small voice and most folks don't take the time to stop and read such things. It seems the things which once mattered so much are now, more than ever, poised to slip away.
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