Begley Drug Company Photographs

Collection

Identifier: 2023a001

Begley Drug Company Photographs

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Scope and Contents

This photo album documents the growth of the Begley Drug Company with photographs of stores, employees and grand openings. Most of the photographs are undated, but appear to be from the late 1960s and 1970s. Stores were located all over Kentucky with one in Tennessee. Also included are several stores in Jackson, Mississippi that are labeled Begley Patterson and were presumably stores purchased by Begley Drug Company. Each store was given a number and there are numbers missing in this record. Later in the album a ribbon cutting photo includes a sign stating "39th store;" however the store number was 66.

Dates

Creation: 1969 - 1976
Acquisition: 2023-01-18

Biographical or Historical Information

Begley Drug Company was founded in London, Kentucky in 1921 by Byron B. Begley. His brother Robert B. Begley joined the business in 1932 after graduating from the University of Louisville School of Pharmacy. The brothers opened a second store in Richmond in 1934 and Richmond became the headquarters for the company at that time. In 1948 the company was incorporated and Byron served as president, while Robert was elected executive vice president. Robert B. Begley was elected as president and chairman of the board in 1954 and served in that role until 1974 when he was elected as chairman of the Board of the Begley Drug Company and his son Robert J. Begley was elected as President. The company was taken over by Rite Aid in 1988. Source was "Robert B. Begley Dies of Heart Attack," Eastern Progress, December 6, 1977.

Note written by Jackie Couture