A piece of Rothrock Drugs' past returns

Pharmacist Kathy Rothrock Elliott, the third generation of the Rothrock family to own/operate Rothrock Drugs in Blytheville, was surprised last week when a gentleman on a bicycle came through the drive-thru with a bit of Rothrock memorabilia.

The man told Kathy he had found the bottle, labeled with a Rothrock prescription, where the new overpass was built and thought she might like to have it.

The bottle was in perfect condition and so was the stick-on prescription dated 12-11-67. The phone number on the bottle was PO3-4451. The doctor prescribing the medicine for nerves was Dr. Witherington. Instructions were to take with water every six hours as needed.

The label had been on the bottle for 53 years and is still as legible as the day it was filled.

Kathy’s mother, Linda Rothrock, said she does not remember the physician’s name but customers would bring in prescriptions from Missouri or Tennessee.

Rothrock Drugs has quite a history in Blytheville with Perry Rothrock, Sr., and his wife, Lillian, starting the business in 1945.

Perry Rothrock, Jr., and Linda carried on the family business until bad health caused Perry Jr., to retire in 1990.  Kathy had joined her dad in the business in 1986. Linda continued to work in the family business with her daughter, Kathy, until 2018 when an eye problem caused her to retire. Linda misses working in the drug store.

Linda shared some local history of the area.

Both Perry Jr. and Linda are Blytheville natives. Her family is among the very early settlers of Blytheville.

The first Rothrock Drug location starting in 1945 was on Main Street where Russell Sales is today.

“All of the doctors had offices in the downtown area,” Linda said. “Some of the offices were upstairs over the businesses.”

Perry Jr. grew up working in the drug store. He had the first popcorn maker in Blytheville.

Later, the business was moved next to the Ritz Theater on the corner by the railroad track where it was located until 1972.

Both stores had popular soda fountains.

The doctors starting moving out of the downtown area and Perry Jr., purchased the old Carter Neighborhood Grocery at 700 North 6th Street  and had it completely remodeled into Rothrock Drugs where it has been located for almost 50 years.

They had the first drive-thru window in Blytheville. Linda recalls the drivers would have to park, get out of their car, walk up to the window and hit the buzzer for service.

“At one time Blytheville had several independent pharmacies including ours, Stewart's, two Kirby's (one on each end of town), Owens, Highway Drug, Barneys, and the Pill Box,” Linda said. “That was before the days of chain pharmacies. It has not been easy for small, home-owned businesses to survive. Back then we helped people file their own insurance claims and we did not deal directly with the insurance companies. All that started changing in the early 1980s.”

Linda said Blytheville was once the shopping hub of northeast Arkansas. People would come from Jonesboro, Dyersburg, and towns in-between to shop downtown Blytheville.

Covid-19 has had a negative effect on many businesses and Rothrock is no exception. They are serving the public with drive-thru service.

The store does carry a large variety of items from cologne, cosmetics, and more but without the foot traffic those sales are down.

Linda is quick to express her appreciation to their customers.

“Blytheville is home,” Linda said. “I enjoyed the years working and serving the people of the area.”

Kathy said customers also miss her.

“Almost every day someone asks about her and she has been retired for two years,” Kathy said.

Perry, Jr. and Linda have four children, Perry, III, a doctor in Memphis; Taylor, a pipe-fitter who travels with his job;  LeeAnn, a retired teacher (38 years) who lives in Hot Springs Village; and Kathy.

They have one grandson, Taylor Steele Stroud of Dallas, Texas.

The bottle will be placed on display in the store with other Rothrock items collected over the last 75 years.