Tellis Pharmacy (Closed)
Charleston, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Walking along King Street, it's easy to get distracted by all the storefronts, but the old neon mortar and pestle outside Tellis Pharmacy still manages to steal the show. Hanging high above the sidewalk, it's the kind of sign that makes you stop, look up, and imagine what this block must have looked like decades ago. 12-07

Tellis Pharmacy
Charleston, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Tellis Pharmacy opened here in 1952 and became a familiar neighborhood fixture for the next 60 years. The old wooden building looked right at home on historic King Street, and the neon sign gave it just enough personality to stand out from the crowd. You didn't have to be looking for a prescription to appreciate it. Sometimes a great sign is reason enough to slow down.

Charleston has done a remarkable job preserving much of its historic downtown, and this is one of those places that reminds you why. Even after the pharmacy closed, the old mortar and pestle remained, quietly watching over the sidewalk while a new business moved into the space below.

UPDATE: Tellis Pharmacy closed in 2012, and the building is now home to Grit & Grace Studio. The landmark neon mortar and pestle sign still hangs over King Street. 07-26

Parsons Drug Company
Wadesboro, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

As dusk settled over downtown Wadesboro, Parsons Drug Company looked like it had already called it a day. The old corner building sat quietly beneath three familiar Rexall signs, making it easy to imagine a time when every downtown seemed to have a neighborhood drug store just like this. 01-08

The signs are what really catch your eye. From the large corner sign to the smaller storefront displays, they give the building the kind of personality that's becoming harder to find. Even after business hours, they make the corner feel like it belongs in another era.

Parsons's Drugs
Wadesboro, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Parsons has been part of Wadesboro since 1875, making it one of the town's oldest businesses. While many independent drug stores have disappeared over the years, this one continues to hold its place on Main Street, giving travelers another good reason to slow down and take a look.

UPDATE: Although it appeared closed when this photo was taken at dusk, Parsons Drug Company remains open today, and the vintage Rexall signs still welcome customers to downtown Wadesboro. 07-26

Central Drug (Closed)
Bessemer City, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Bessemer City, NC is home an old flashback in time, Central Drug. I was absolutely amazed to see an old-time soda fountain inside. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info.

(Right) Although a neon sign would match perfectly, at least the new one is nicely done and not a boring piece of backlit plastic. 02-08

Some signs seem to belong exactly where they are, and Central Drug Store is one of them. Hanging over the sidewalk in downtown Bessemer City, the old projecting marquee with its built-in clock has been greeting shoppers for decades. It's the kind of sign that makes you slow down, look up, and wonder how many people have checked the time beneath it while making their way down Virginia Avenue. 01-08

Central Drug soda fountain
Bessemer City, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

A non-chain drug store that is not mundane as per a Rite Aid, Walgreens or CVS is always a delight. This store called Central Drug has been around since 1927 and appears to have been remodeled in the late 50's or early 60's except as you see the old wood shelves have remained.

Central Drug
Bessemer City, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Back when downtown was the center of everyday life, places like Central Drug were where people gathered as much as they shopped. You might stop in for a prescription, but chances are you'd stay a little longer. The lunch counter became a favorite local stop, especially for one of the store's fresh-squeezed orangeades. Those are the kinds of little traditions that don't show up on highway billboards, but they're the ones people remember years later.

The building itself has always been a busy place. Over the years it housed doctors and dentists upstairs, a beauty parlor on the second floor, and even a barber shop in the basement where mill workers could clean up after a long day on the job. It wasn't just a drug store. It was part of the rhythm of downtown life.

Central Drug wood shelves
Bessemer City, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Central Drug first opened its doors in 1927 and remained a hometown fixture for 94 years. While chain pharmacies came and went, this little corner store continued doing things the old-fashioned way. By the time this photo was taken, the marquee had already become one of those familiar downtown landmarks that locals probably passed without a second thought, while visitors couldn't help but stop for a picture.

Today the storefront is quiet, but the old sign still hangs over the sidewalk. The clock remains part of the streetscape, and it's easy to imagine what this corner must have looked like when the lunch counter was full, the pharmacist knew everyone by name, and downtown Bessemer City was the place where everybody seemed to cross paths.

UPDATE: Central Drug closed in April 2021 after serving Bessemer City for 94 years. The historic building remains, and the vintage projecting sign with its clock still hangs over Virginia Avenue. 07-26