Walshs Pharmacy marks 60 years in village

by Kris Svela

ARTHUR

Walsh’s Pharmacy has been a fixture here for 60 years and on Sept. 21, founder John Walsh was joined by his pharmacist son Joe, who has taken over the business, to celebrate the occasion with the community.

“Four years ago when we opened our new location I commented the store is not Walsh’s, it’s a community store.”

With 60 years of service, Walsh’s has proven that.

It was a point made by Perth-Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece, who presented the family with a provincial certificate to mark the anniversary.

“It’s nice to have a family-owned business running in a small community because it’s tough to run a small business in Ontario,” Pettapiece told well-wishers at the ceremony.

“One of the great things about a rural riding is people know each other.”

Joe Walsh also noted some other milestones since the store opened in 1952, including the first Weber grill, the first episode of I Love Lucy, the first broadcast of CBC out of Montreal, and the year Lester B. Pearson became president of the United Nations.

A history of the store on its website states, “Founded by John Walsh in 1952, Walsh’s Pharmacy has been a staple in the village of Arthur for 60 years. John enlisted in World War II and served on a minesweeper HMCS Wallaceburg on convoy duty in the North Atlantic.

“On discharge he served a three-year apprenticeship in Douglas Drugstore in Arthur followed by two years at the College of Pharmacy in Toronto, graduating in 1952.

“Later that year he was able to purchase the inventory and fixtures of Russells’ Pharmacy which was located where the L&M parking lot is today,” the historical account states.

The first store was about 1,500 square feet, while the new store, built in 2008, is 6,000 square feet. John Walsh continued to expand the business over many years.

Joe Walsh, who has been involved in the family business since elementary school, graduated from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy in 1991. In 1992, after 41 years as Arthur’s principle pharmacist, John sold the business to Joe and his wife Cheryl, who have continued to operate the business up to the present time.

At Friday’s celebration, Joe noted that his father continues to be a mentor to him and the business.

October 5, 2012