Musings: Sonoma’s last ‘hometown pharmacy’

The last remnant of Sonoma Valley’s independent pharmacies closed this month marking the end of a hometown-style service that is unlikely to return.

Pharmaca, which succeeded Adobe Drug on West Napa Street across from St. Francis Solano Church, is no longer. When Adobe owner, Dan Phillips, retired and sold the business to Pharmaca in 2004, he successfully persuaded Pharmaca to keep his staff of 20 people. All but one stayed on, which gave the store a local feel, even though its operator was a chain. But many of us still missed Dan, who gave his customers the personal pharmacy experience they enjoyed for decades.

There was a time in the middle of the last century when we Sonomans enjoyed that kind of serve from six independent pharmacies. The pharmacists were our friends and fellow Sonomans. We trusted them like we did our family doctor. In fact, we often relied on them to recommend some over-the-counter medication so we didn’t have to go our doc for minor ailments.

My recollections date back to the 1950s, a time when there were four independent pharmacies on the Plaza in Sonoma and one at the Boyes Hot Springs Plaza. The names and faces of those mid-20th century pharmacists remain with me. It makes me sad that the realities of the 21st century drug retailing eventually eliminated any chance of succession.

The Sonoma four I remember included Julio R. Valente’s Pharmacy on West Napa Street across from the Index-Tribune. Adobe Drug, which was opened in 1950 by Ray Duer in the Salvador Vallejo adobe. Burt Friberg’s Rexall Drug Store was on Broadway where the Aabha Indian Restaurant is today, and L.S. “Dad” Simmon’s Pharmacy was on Napa Street where Chico’s is today. Pine Wagner, a woman pharmacist, operated Valley Drug in the Boyes Hot Springs Plaza.

A sixth local pharmacy arrived in 1964 when Fiesta Drug was opened by Larry McKay in Fiesta Shopping Center, where the Dollar store is now. Sonoma resident, Lee Amari also was a pharmacist there. There was no CVS, Rite Aid or Safeway pharmacy.

As a kid, I liked Simmon’s best, because it had a classic soda fountain, complete with a marble countertop where I could sit and enjoy an ice cream sundae while my mom was getting a prescription filled. I don’t remember the founder, Dad Simmons, who died in 1955, but pharmacist Willis Helms, who succeeded him, was always there to meet and wait on his customers.

Around the corner on Broadway, Burt Friberg ran his Recall pharmacy, which had a soda fountain and lunch counter where my Aunt Katie O’Day served up great sandwiches.

Ray Duer opened Adobe Drug in the Salvador Vallejo adobe in 1950 (where Sunflower Caffe is now). His son Ron Duer, eventually jointed him there.

When Valente’s Pharmacy closed, the Duer’s took over that store’s prescription list. In 1961, Ray and Ron built a new store across from the Catholic church on Napa Street. Not long after Burt Friberg died in 1973, Simmons took over their prescriptions, then, when Simmons closed in the 1980s, their prescription customers went to Adobe. From then on, there were no pharmacies on the Plaza.

In the meantime out in the Springs, Bob Owen and Lee Amari had taken over Wagner’s Valley Drug, and for a while, Fiesta Pharmacy was still operated by Larry McKay. Eventually Ron Duer and Bob Owen who had been classmates at the UCSF pharmacy school became partner owners of Valley Drug. Lee Amari retired to pursue his main hobby, fishing.

Before the end of the century, Fiesta Pharmacy closed, as did Valley Drug. Their Rx lists went to Adobe.

By the dawn of the 21st century, only Dan remained. He was born and raised in Sonoma, attended local schools and was inspired to pursue a pharmacy career by those same local pharmacists that I remember. After he completed his formal schooling, he returned to our Valley, where he kept the wonderful tradition of personalized pharmacy service going until he retired. When he did, all of us who had the privilege of being one of his customers felt slightly lost.

Now, even the shadow of the legacy he and his predecessors created here for decades is gone. We’re going to miss them.