High-tech nostalgia: Stone Drug uses blend of cutting-edge technology

Lana Creer Harris, Daily Herald Sunday, February 27, 2011

Stone’s father Glade bought out Magleby Drug, which was half restaurant and half pharmacy, with a lunch counter. “That’s how we ended up with a fountain,” Stone said.

That fountain has become a must-visit for nostalgic Spanish Fork expatriates.

“They come in during the 24th of July with their kids, and sit down at the counter and tell their kids, ‘You won’t see anything like this any more,’ ” and then they all have a hamburger, Coke or ice cream, Stone said. Stone Drug has a full service soda fountain/lunch counter and the hamburgers, milkshakes, floats and fries are all made right in front of the customers. And the customers rely on the 50 cent ice cream cones every summer.

“I just want to go to Stone Drug and be taken care of and sit at the counter to get a cherry Coke and a cheeseburger and all the hometown news,” said Pat Christianson, a Spanish Fork native. “It’s the quintessential hometown pharmacy.”

Stone Drug moved from the original Magleby site next door to the J.C. Penney building in the 1970s. The old fashioned architecture defines the store that still has the high tin ceilings and is much longer than it is wide.

Stone bought the store from his father in 1989, and another Stone is in the wings. Stone’s son Jordan is attending pharmacy school. “Hopefully we’ll be a three-generation business,” he added.

Stone and his staff work at being modern while keeping the old hometown flavor. He said one resident’s grandson comes in every year and takes a picture of the fountain.

He focuses his shot from one end of the counter to the other Stone said. A high school age fan of Stone Drug made a Facebook page for the drug store, which now has photos and 157 “likes.”

Stone feels the new equipment and nostalgic feel of the place makes for low-stress shopping. The store has a full greeting card section, over-the-counter medications and a well-stocked gift department. They even gift-wrap.

The drug store boasts the only Parata robotic pill-dispensing machine in the area, according to Stone. The 100 most commonly called-for drugs are loaded into the machine. A computer triggers the dispenser, which counts the number of pills or capsules, prints and labels the bottle and caps it.

“We try to keep fast, friendly, personalized service; the machine makes us more accurate,” Stone said. “There are checks and balances built into Parata and there are fewer dispensing mistakes,” he added.

High tech robotic pill dispensers aside, Stone Drug is a hometown drugstore. It delivers a half-dozen prescription orders a day at no charge. “We take care of our seniors,” Stone said.

The store has a loyal customer base who have been with Stone Drug a long time. “The help doesn’t even change,” Stone said.

Nola Argyle has worked there 30 years, Lois Miller, 27 years and the rest of the staff between 15 and 17 years.

Stone said he intends to stay independent and, despite many offers, will not sell out to a chain. Many pharmacists he knows have sold their businesses to a chain and remained in the pharmacy.

“Why should I take a pay cut and work holidays?” Stone says with a grin. He said that most independent pharmacists don’t do well under big company management. A rabid golfer, Stone works his turn of shifts with two other full-time pharmacists, Clyde Nielsen and Amberly Stoddard, plus part-time pharmacists, and still has time for his game.