Florence pharmacy closes doors after 62 years of business

A Norman Rockwell picture that appeared on the front of the “Saturday Evening Post” on March 18, 1939, says it all about Dixon Drug Co. at 160 S. Dargan St.

The framed photo is one of the few remaining items in Dixon Drug, which is going out of business after 62 years in downtown Florence. It shows a pharmacist with a walrus mustache pouring medicine into a bottle for a child who is suffering from a severe cold. The child knows the pharmacist’s concoction is the remedy for his ailment.

And the pharmacist knows his elixir will fit the bill. His aim is almost as straight as his absolute concentration. One can tell by the pharmacist and his surroundings that his customers come first.

And that’s the way it’s always been at Dixon Drug Co. Personal service was its hallmark.

But the owners, Dick and Gale Harllee Dixon, are retiring. The store officially closed March 17, but the Dixons are selling their remaining inventory. The prescription files already have been transferred.

“We appreciate your business as faithful customers all these years,” Dick said in a letter to his customers. “We have always served you like you were part of our family. We will miss seeing you.”

Gale has done everything in the store, from cleaning the floors to making milk shakes on a 1950s-era Hamilton Beach milk shake machine.

“We had the best milk shakes in town,” she said. “They were made with real ice cream.”

And “real ice cream” might be an understatement for the chocolate, strawberry and vanilla shakes.

“We used four scoops of ice cream, a little milk and chocolate, strawberry or vanilla syrup,” she said.

Gone with the store will be their popular butter pecan, strawberry shortcake and cookie and cream ice cream that was stacked liberally on cones.

Fading into history with the ice cream and shakes are their cherry smashes. The directions call for “four to six squirts of cherry juice, add soda water and stir.”

Dixon’s was open seven days a week at one time. It was started by Dick’s father, Dr. L.R. Dixon Jr., who moved to Florence from Bennettsville in 1943.

Dick said his father would even come in for about two hours to fill prescriptions on Christmas Day.

The store originally was located across the street at 139 S. Dargan. They moved to the current location in 1962 and remodeled in 1977.

“I always loved my customers and they loved me,” Dick said. “I developed a close relationship with a lot of them. The independent stores have always taken care of their customers.”

Just ask Sadie Easterling, 85, who has been a customer since the drug store opened.

“I’m just so upset that they are retiring and going out of business,” she said. “They are like family to me. All I had to do was call them and they took care of things for me. I love them and think about them every day.”

The Dixons also will miss Easterling.

“Sadie had a charge account with us,” Gale said. “Without fail, she would write us a letter every month and enclose it with her check. She is really a sweet, darling person.”

Betty Bass worked at the store for 38 years.

“I love my boss and his wife; they were wonderful to work for,” she said. “I also enjoyed the work and the customers. I miss all of them.”

Meanwhile, the Dixons won’t get bored. They have four grandchildren. One in particular, Camden Adams, 7, is a bit distressed about the store closing.

When his mother, Anne Adams, told him his grandparents were going to retire, he retorted, “But, Momma, where are we going to get free ice cream and candy?”

“I just thought that was adorable,” Gale said.

The Dixons also have another daughter, Teal Rabon.