Jun 30, 2010

Dean’s buys Economy DrugBy Christina VerderosaDewitt-EE.com

After 22 years, Alton and Kathryn Chambless finally decided it was time to retire and do all the things they couldn’t while running Economy Drug of DeWitt every day. But they worried about who would take care of their customers. The answer turned out to be right across the street.

DeWitt Economy Drug closed its doors for the last time Wednesday, but its files, prescriptions and records will become part of Dean’s Pharmacy. Alton and Kathryn will also move over to Dean’s temporarily to help ease the transition. Regular Economy Drug customers will also find other familiar faces from the staff moving over to Dean’s.

The Chambless family came to DeWitt 22 years ago from Dumas, when they bought DeWitt Economy Drug. The decision to close was one that Alton and Kathryn wrestled with for a long time. “We have customers who are actually more like family,” he said.

But they had been having health problems and felt they were no longer up to the day-to-day physical demands of operating a business. “The pharmacy has me, I don’t have it,” Alton said.

Their daughter Holly Vansandt is also a pharmacist, but she also has health issues.

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