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City Drug Store of Gleason, Tennessee
There are a great many things inheritable that can
run in the
family, and for the Smyth-Robison’s, being
a
druggist is written in their
genes. Three generations now have served the
Gleason community and
surrounding
area through the City Drug Store, and there is no doubt that after
around 97 years of service it is safe to say their work can truly be
called a labor of love. If written, the tale of America would begin
with words of courage and then shift over to the telling of hard
work all the while and then finally ending with perseverance that
continues on from the present into the future unknown. Well, that
story is also the story of the City Drug Store and its rich
heritage.
A young man, no older than 16, by the name of Robert
“Bob” Smyth began the family legacy when in 1918 he sought
employment at the Ammons Drug Store on Front Street of Gleason,
Tennessee. The pharmaceutical work interested him so that he decided
to take his career a step further by completing more pharmacy
training in Birmingham, Alabama in 1928. After Mr. Bob came back to
Gleason, he married Ms. Lucille Cochran, and from this union, two
children were born: Bobbye Lu and Robert. Here is where the courage
came in. Some time during the Great Depression in the early 1930’s,
Bob Smyth and his half-brother Henry Scott went out on a limb and
bought out the Ammons Drug Store, changing the name to City Drug. In
1936, Henry Scott bought an empty lot on Main Street and built a new
building that has housed the City Drug Store ever since. Bob and
Lucille ran the drug store with great pride and good business sense,
and those old enough to remember could never forget the soda
fountain and ice cream served there. Even a number of notable
Gleason residents like Butch Sanders, Jack Dunning, and Thomas
Morris put in their time as “soda jerks.” The store also served as a
meeting place for the men of Gleason who would hover around the old
potbelly stove in the back and the tables out front recounting tall
tales, smoking fine cigars, and bragging, or exaggerating, about how
many birds they killed on their hunting trips! Mr. Bob put in
countless hours of hard work, even opening at night for emergencies,
and in 1967, he retired thus relinquishing ownership of his beloved
City Drug Store to his daughter and son-in-law, Bobbye Lu and Buddy
Robison. Mr. Bob continued to work there and even worked on the day
of his passing. A true testament to his dedication.
Mr.
Buddy Robison had served as a corpsman in the Navy, and after his
tour, he went to pharmacy
school in
Memphis in the 1960’s. Returning to Gleason, he
worked for a few years under his father-in-law before assuming
ownership of the drug store. Mr. Buddy may have been a pharmacist,
but he had a few extra skills the town of Gleason needed when Dr.
Jeter was not available to help. Being a Navy corpsman, he was able
to doctor any bruise, scrape, or cut that any youngster incurred. He
truly loved Gleason and its residents, and his wife Mrs. Bobbye Lu
made this clear when she said that any time he would see an
ambulance go by he would worry day and night, maybe even make a few
phone calls to see what had happened, because he was scared he may
have given someone the wrong medicine. The Robison’s operated the
drug store from 1967 until 1999, having continued the family
business with integrity and pride.
The Robison’s had two daughters that
followed in the footsteps of their father and grandfather: Kris
Morse and Kim Sturgeon. Both received their pharmaceutical education
at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of
Pharmacy. On January 1, 1999, ownership of the City Drug Store was
transferred over to Kris who still runs it today through hard work
and perseverance and the help of her sister, Kim. Ms. Kris still
holds true to her roots, and in the spirit of those who came before
her, she will even open the drug store for emergencies at any late
hour of the night. That is a service she will proudly tell you that
you cannot receive at any chain pharmacy store.
The next time you are sick, don’t forget
about the City Drug Store and its operators that have helped
countless people become well, enjoy the simple things in life like
ice cream, and provide a place for amiable interaction for almost
100 years. The Smyth-Robison’s story and legacy enrich not only
Gleason’s history but more importantly its health, both being truly
priceless
(Story by Ben Rollins) .
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