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Dayton Memories > Gallagher's Drug Store on in vicinity of West 2nd
Gallagher's Drug Store on in vicinity of West 2nd
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JeffN
50 posts
Aug 17, 2007
3:12 PM
Does anyone recall a Gallagher's Drug Store, maybe on West 2nd Street or in that vicinity, in the 1950s? I think the owner's name was Earl Rogers or Roberts. My mother, Georgia Neal, worked there for a few years.

Can anyone help me out?
JeffN
52 posts
Aug 20, 2007
11:52 AM
Did you know the owner or anyone who worked there? I think my dad met my mom there in the early 40s (I think). I think their first home was on West 2nd Street.

Also, does anyone remember a Longo's restaraunt from that era? Mom got their speghetti recipe that I still use to this day.
JeffN
65 posts
Sep 19, 2007
4:14 PM
Does anyone have any information on the owner or manager of this store from the 40s and 50s? Thanks.
Mike C
27 posts
Jan 03, 2008
11:04 PM
Are you sure it wasn't on W.3rd street instead of W.2nd?
JeffN
94 posts
Jan 06, 2008
3:14 PM
Mike .. it might have been West 3rd ... my parents lived on West 4th back in that era.
JeffN
105 posts
Mar 09, 2008
11:28 AM
Anyone have any photos, etc., from Gallagher's from back then?
rodat6
3 posts
Mar 09, 2008
3:29 PM
I lived in Dayton from the summer of 1942 until I was 17 in 1959 then I went south.

I attended Webster from 1st grade, Mrs. Probst's class to 6th grade then to McGuffey School for 7th and 8th grade, Mrs. Wallace was my home room teacher, she called me Rodley even though my name is Rodney. I liked her she was funny.

At that time I thought that I lived at 62 Messina Place but nothing is on the map, that would have been McGuffey Homes. Either the homes were bull dozed or my memory messed up, I am not sure. Mom was evicted from Parkside for earning too much at WPAFB as a clerk stenographer. She made around $240 per month or $60. per week. She had to learn Gregg shorthand in 6 weeks then take a job as my father and mother divorced and my dad married his girlfriend leaving us 4 children and our mother with no income.

My dad was ordered to pay $25. per month but he rarely did. My father was not a alcoholic but he would go to a State Liquor Store and buy a fifth of 4 Roses, rot gut whiskey from time to time. He would pour a shot then chase it with water so I did that from time to time. I did not become an alcoholic, in fact I gave up alcohol in the late Sixties.

I started a morning paper route when I was 10 around 1952, I had 63 customers and woke up in the middle of the night to deliver papers, carrying them in a cloth bag over my shoulder or head. On Thursdays I could not lift them all because it was ad day and had to stash half for later pickup and delivery. After delivery Monday through Friday I then walked to Webster on Maryland near Troy and Chapel streets, that was 1 mile from home, 411 Van Wert Place. I was driven once for my entire schooling, it was raining too hard, a relative who had a car drove us the remainder of the time me along with my brothers and sisters walked.

I picked up my newspapers, the Journal Herald at Gallagher's drug store on Keowee a block down from the McCook Theater, next to Western Auto.

I kept the route for a year, my scariest customer was the Katherine Kennedy Brown mansion with the concrete wall around its perimeter. Pitch dark, at the front servant house there were a group of big doberman pincher dogs, maybe 5 tied up and they would pull and bark at me so I had to find a tear in the concrete wall about in the middle, across from the big house, climb through it, stealth across the yard, drop the paper on the porch then high tail it back and over the wall, I think I held my breath or at least wanted to. I remember collecting from them, they were not tippers, I was inside for a wee bit when collecting, nice kitchen.

After the route I went for selling the Dayton Daily News on downtown street corners, I was still a kid, 12 to 14 I think. My best corner was Son's Bar on Ludlow, I think 5th and Ludlow, it was the bookie bar area, not far from the Holden Hotel or the train station. When they assigned me to Rikes, I would stand outside the door at closing time holding my papers, yelling "FInal Newspaper, Final News," I always sold more papers at RIkes but made more money at Son's Bar,

Sometimes I would put a big lead weight on my papers on their stand and go exploring downtown. I would walk to the tops of office buildings and go all around, the Arcade had a basement but it was more like connecting tunnels, lots of storage and I could even go into a connected office building just to the south west.

There was a Gallagher Drug Store on the west side of Main street between Third and Fourth, next to the alley that went to the Arcade. I spent many an hour in Gallagher's sitting at the counter, drinking a Coke and smoking a cigarette.
JeffN
108 posts
Mar 10, 2008
11:45 AM
Rodat...that Gallagher's Drug Store is where my mother, Georgia Gillum Neal, worked for several years in the 40s and 50s. My mom and dad met there ... when my dad went in there to eat lunch at the fountain you describe! Do you recall any of the folks who worked there?
rodat6
4 posts
Mar 10, 2008
8:28 PM
No, I was a high school dropout from Colonel White, never really got on a name basis with anyone. I was a member of the Wall Gang which was a group of not too intelligent people who sat on the Courthouse wall at 3rd and Main and who basically hung downtown. Red White and Blue Billiards was on east Fifth just off Main, I hung there also, even slept there from time to time. I was not too bright.

I worked the Christmas Season for Elder's department store in 1957 I guess, I usually packed a lunch. I also worked at R.L. Kennett Photostats next to the train station, I started off delivering photostats on a bicycle then when the camera operator was drafted, I was given a nickel and hour raise from 75 to 80 cent per hour, I thought I was rich, cleared $26 per week, that was big time.

I was basically a delinquent, parents went through a divorce, I quit studying in school, quit when I was 15.
davew
8 posts
Dec 13, 2008
6:18 AM
There was also a Gallaghers at the corner of N.Main and Pointview Ave. This was right next door to Albers Supermarket. Best hamburger and fries in the world! Anyone remember this one?
Steve K
41 posts
Dec 13, 2008
7:42 AM
I think there's a picture of a Gallagher's in one of the Dayton calendars I have from a few years back, I'll have to try and locate it this weekend.
JeffN
170 posts
Dec 15, 2008
1:27 PM
Thanks Steve ... I'd love to see it.
smurfnana
7 posts
Dec 31, 2008
3:11 PM
My mom worked at the downtown Gallaghers in the 40s. Her name at the time was Jane Hoover. She worked the soda fountain. I'm sorry I can't ask her much about it. She has Alzheimer's and sometimes doesn't even remember her grandkids. They were still open until the md 60s. I used to go downtown and stop in there when I was in 6th and 7th grade.
It was located on S. Main between Third and Fourth, across the alley from McCroys.

Last Edited by on Dec 31, 2008 3:13 PM
JeffN
171 posts
Jan 02, 2009
11:53 AM
Smurfnana, there's a good chance out mothers worked together. My mom's name was Georgia Gillum (later Georgia Neal after she married my dad).
moldyoldy
1 post
Feb 14, 2009
4:31 PM
The big Gallagher's was across 2nd Street from Rike's, at the corner of 2nd and Main. My mother would take me there for a burger and shake after shopping Downtown. We used to catch the bus by the newsstand on 2nd, in front of the 2nd St exit from Rike's. That's how I know Gallagher's was just across the street. Just inside the 2nd Street entrance to Rike's in those days was where the Rike's candy counter was. They used to make the most amazing flat mints patties. All different flavors, cinnamon, peppermint, wintergreen, lemon, orange, etc. that would just melt in your mouth. Like all their candies, you bought them by the pound. Unlike the other candies, these were packed in a long slender white Rike's box, about 2" square and 8" long. How I used to love to see that box! Unfortunately, I've not found anyplace that makes a similar confection.
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'Finer than snuff, and only half as dusty'.

Last Edited by on Feb 14, 2009 4:34 PM
JeffN
193 posts
Apr 22, 2009
8:38 AM
Anyone out there know a Georgia Gillum who worked there in the 40s?
Mikey
23 posts
Jun 20, 2009
8:46 AM
All of the Gallagher's had excellent lunch and soda counters. In the very early 50's, I would ride the bus from downtown to Pointview Ave and walk down the hill to my grandparents, three doors from Riverside. IF I had some money, I always got burgers at Gallagher's. OH BOY! buns fried in butter and burgers crispy around the edge.

At the Pointview store and at the store next to the Dale (Riverdale) Theater at Main and Santa Clara, the candy counters had automatic nut fryers. Boy were those peanuts good. Salt and grease, two of the five main food groups!

Later, the Pointview store remained open, but the fountain counter was surrounded by shelves. Not exactly hidden, just abandoned. All of the fixtures were still in place.

The only burger that compared to Gallagher's was from the Maud Muller (sp?) Tea Room next to Lowes Theater downtown, which was also the only place that I knew to get a lime soda.

On another note, the downtown Lowes (no apostrophe?) was one one of the few that was not named Lowes "-something-". They were usually Lowes Ohio or something alluding to the location.

Sorry to wander so far from the subject. -Mike-
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Mikey, Gatlinburg, TN

Last Edited by on Jun 21, 2009 9:42 AM
JeffN
209 posts
Jun 20, 2009
11:10 PM
lethamc .. do you remember Georgia? I thinjk she and my father actually met at that fountain at Gallaghers!
lethamc
3 posts
Jun 21, 2009
3:19 PM
Jeffn,I don't recall a girl named Georgia. I think maby she was gone when i came to work there.
rodat6
42 posts
Jun 21, 2009
4:23 PM
To: lethamc, I hung out at Gallagher's and in the downtown area during that time frame, I sold the Dayton Daily News downtown for about a year.

In the drug store I would go to the soda fountain, order a coke and smoke whatever brand of cigarette I was addicted to at the time just like most everyone else. I don't know where smoking was off limits back then , you could smoke in the doctors office along with the doctor and in the meat market along with the butcher.

We must have run into each other, we had to and when I took a job downtown on 5th and Ludlow, I'd still go there to get a coke. I'd eat at various places including Kreske's (SP) a block or so south.
lethamc
4 posts
Jun 23, 2009
6:17 AM
Rodat6...I probable served you that coke and smelled that smoke.............
JeffN
213 posts
Jun 23, 2009
7:02 AM
lethamc .. was there a guy or a boss there named earl?
rodat6
44 posts
Jun 23, 2009
1:04 PM
lethamc: well I lucked out, smoked for 47 years, had a stroke, slept for 6 weeks, woke up no longer addicted, still have tobacco from 5 years ago, won't touch it.

I lived near the Gallagher's on Keowee by the McCook Movie theater and Western Auto, that's where I picked up my Journal Herald papers to deliver 6 mornings a week.

I had two 24 hour machine shops that I delivered to, open all night, lots of work then.

Did all of the Gallagher's close? If so do you know why?

Rod
lethamc
5 posts
Jun 23, 2009
4:10 PM
rodat6 I think Revco bought all the Gallagher stores,and then later in years CVS bought the stores from Revco...Revco elemated all the soda fountains..and did you know that there was a cafa. in the basement of the store on main st.
lethamc
6 posts
Jun 23, 2009
4:20 PM
Jeffn...no guy named Earl.The managers name was Harold Davidson,,i had several bosses. Kenneth and Vence.. and a lady i think her name was Tankersely,I loved working there,thats where i met my husband.we've been married 50 years this Nov
RIVERDALE RAT
14 posts
Aug 23, 2009
1:00 AM
I remember one on w 3rd st and Ludlow.

Last Edited by on Aug 23, 2009 6:50 PM
dquartz
40 posts
Sep 04, 2009
6:46 PM
riverdale.. do you remember the name of the big hotel that sit across the street on 3rd and ludlow ? is there any chance that you would remember the name of it ? my uncle used to date a girl who worked at the stratford hotel was this it ?
RIVERDALE RAT
139 posts
Sep 05, 2009
12:30 AM
dquartz: That particular Hotel was known as the Dayton Inn (during my era) the Stratford House was on w. 1St street, 328-330 if memory serves.

Last Edited by on Sep 05, 2009 12:09 PM
dquartz
49 posts
Sep 05, 2009
10:48 AM
riverdale..thanks. i guess i had those two mixed up. it's been too many years.
RIVERDALE RAT
176 posts
Sep 06, 2009
7:59 PM
dquartz: the Dayton Inn used to be a pretty swanky place as I recall. I will never forget the time the Beetles came to town for something and that was where they stayed. Ludlow street was a mass of screaming Girls, especially at the corner by the alley where the had hoped to catch a glimpse of somebody in the parking garage.
BubbaLuv
17 posts
Feb 25, 2011
8:46 PM
My Mother work at the gallagher on 3rd and ludlow working the fountain. that's where she met my father when he stopped in for something to eat. they married june of 61. she then worked for revco all her life workin about at all of them one time or another but finished her working and most years at the revco on Keowee st.
JeffN
361 posts
Feb 27, 2011
9:42 AM
Bubba ... did she know my mom, Georgia?
BubbaLuv
19 posts
Feb 28, 2011
3:48 PM
JeffN im mostly sure she did but my mothers been gone now since 2005. mom was pretty into the union at the end and attended most every gathering they had. like I said earlier she started at 3rd and ludlow I know she worked at revco's on N. Main, Far Hills and she worked at any of them that needed a fill in on her off days, I remember her on far hills and Keowee st in my lifetime
JeffN
362 posts
Mar 01, 2011
8:24 AM
My mom would've worked there until 1960, when I was born. She passed away in 1994, as did my dad. What was your mom's name?
BubbaLuv
22 posts
Mar 01, 2011
8:53 AM
My Mothers name was Martha but 1960 rings a bell that that's when my mother started working there. hmmmmmmmmmm im just not sure of dates
JeffN
368 posts
Mar 03, 2011
8:07 PM
I know what you mean ... most of this was way before my time.
mama
2 posts
Jan 13, 2015
2:54 PM
My mom worked at the 4th and main store her name was Willa jean martin/woolery her and my dad met there she was there over a year another lady was Josephine gabbard she quit to have a baby my brother in 59
luv my dayton
802 posts
Jan 13, 2015
3:26 PM
If you look at the picture of Rikes at Christmas you will notice one at second and main. That was a very sucessful chain and made for affordable shopping for many. They were everywhere . There was one at Town and Country and they had soda fountains where us kids headed after school.
Riverdale Ghost
497 posts
Jan 13, 2015
6:12 PM
The name of the company was Gallaher's.

And, to this point not one person corrected the name. Shame on you!

If I remember correctly, a company bought it. Then a company bought that. The last result was CVS.

And, now, at least if someone decides to run a search they will find all the above comments. (My good deed for the day.)



(Last edit: word "company" in first sentence changed to lower case; it was capitalized.)

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Avatar 1 Honest Communications Is The Foundation of Civilizations.

Last Edited by Riverdale Ghost on Jan 14, 2015 6:28 PM
Ol'Roy
42 posts
Jan 14, 2015
5:21 AM
Gallaher's were indeed everywhere. They had one at Main & Central in Fairborn. When my dad died in 1960, my uncle took my brother and I to the soda fountain at Gallaher's for a milk shake while family and friends paid their respects at the Morris Sons funeral home a block away.

At one time in the 50's, I believe there were three or four in downtown Dayton at the same time. Gallaher's was bought out by Revco in the mid to late 60's. If I recall correctly, the soda fountains went away just before or just after Gallaher's sold out to Revco. Revco was later purchased by CVS.
mama
4 posts
Jan 14, 2015
6:03 PM
I worked for cleaning company back in 87 and 88 saw the one on 4th st being tore down with wrecking ball and it was to my moms memory it was gallahers
mama
5 posts
Jan 15, 2015
5:04 PM
Lethmc: my dad said boss was Davidson and woman over fountain they called her tank so makes since my mom passed 7 yes ago she met my dad there when she worked in 58
JeffN
478 posts
Jan 16, 2015
8:53 AM
My mother worked there for years. Georgia Gillum. Name ring a bell with anyone? I know mom kept in touch with a lot of people who worked there for years thru Christmas cards, etc.
Sheree1961
2 posts
Jan 17, 2015
7:04 PM
One summer (1952 or 53) my mother, Eleanor Gross worked @ Gallaher's, probably the one on 3rd St. She also worked the lunch counter. Parent's met that summer & years later married. He worked in a shoe store near the Gallaher's she worked at.


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