Lunch at the Drug Store

It used to be a common stop after school for children or for the bus passing through town. Located downtown, or to some uptown, the small town local drug store was the place for the gossip, medicine, gifts, and lunch.

Growing up in Birmingham, I never really had the opportunity to experience this that much, and no where near as much as my father, grandfather or great grandfather had the opportunity.

For more than half a century the corner of West Front Street in Thomasville, Ala. was home to People's Drugs - the small, family owned drug store with a soda fountain and lunch counter. Today, the corner and building is the renovated home of People's Corner - a gift shop and lunch stop.

I have few memories of People's Drugs before it closed in 1986. Really, I only have about one memory of the office inside the store - that and when we returned to the building in 1992 to clean out the attic.

People's Drugs was opened by my great-grandfather Theodore Megginson, followed by my grandfather Dick Megginson, who retired and closed the store in 1986. My dad grew up working small jobs in the store, as it became the after school stop. Bonfires were held on the corner to celebrate homecoming. Visitors would take a pit stop at the store when passing through Clarke County via bus.

Today, I felt like I went back in time to Thomasville. I looked for Grandmama and Grand Daddy behind the counter, as I entered into Reeves Drug Store on First Street in Pulaski, Tenn. for lunch. My friend Stacy, a native Pulaskian, and I met there for lunch. The chairs and tables were similar. It was my first trip to Reeves and made me stop and reflect on what it must have been like to take a lunch break in Thomasville and walk down to People's for a chicken salad sandwich.

Just a taste of small town livin'.