Peoples Drug Store

Peoples Drug Store
598 Merchant St.
Daily Citizen 
August 25, 1954

Peoples Drug Store was once on the southeast corner of 6th and Merchant Sts. In the mid-1960s, that building became the location of a Thrift Drug Store.

So far, the most frequent memories of the Ambridge Peoples are of the "snaking" green marble soda fountain and its milkshakes, cherry cokes, and Reymer's Blennd. Plus the candy counter and magazine rack. Which makes sense, since many of the memories are from people who would have been kids when Peoples was in Ambridge.

Earlier in its history, the building had two store fronts, 578 and 598 Merchant. Here's a postcard circa late 1910s - early 1920s looking south from 6th and Merchant. The nearest building on the left is the Peoples Drug Store building in the photo above.

500 block Merchant St. looking south from 6th St.
postcard
circa late 1910-early 1920s
Beaver County Historical Research & Landmarks Foundation

The Ambridge National Bank, Horlick's sporting goods and tobacco store, Barrett's drug store, Katcher's Music, and Katcher's Furniture all occupied one of the storefronts in that building before Peoples moved in.

Here's a Peoples Drug Store ad from 1960:

Peoples Drug Store
ad
Beaver County Times
April 26, 1960

There's a Peoples Drug Store Christmas ad in my December 24, 2015, post "Ambridge Christmas toys ads, 1960."

As of now, I don't know when Thrift Drug closed, but in 1993, DJ's Skate Shop opened in that building. After DJ's closed in 1998, Keystone Rehabilitation Systems, which provided physical and occupational therapy, and, more recently, Let's Get 2gether, an events facility, have occupied that building.

If you know when Peoples Drug Store or Thrift Drug closed, or of other businesses which were once at 598 Merchant, please leave a comment.

Here's what 598 Merchant looked like in March 2014:

598 Merchant St.
March 30, 2014
credit: Nancy Knisley

Here's the August 2016 street view:

598 Merchant St.
Google street view
August 2016