Delano Herald Journal

Serving the communities of Delano, Loretto, Montrose, MN, and the surrounding area

Howard Lake Drug marks its 85th anniversary



In 1917, a business formed in Howard Lake that would outlast
the Great Depression, two world wars, economic recessions . . . and most
recently, the reconstruction of Highway 12.

Howard Lake Drug is observing its 85th year of operation;
something very few businesses can claim.

It has been at the same location along Highway 12 since
1925. In fact, the original tin ceiling is still intact, along with wall
fixtures and the same soda fountain installed by Scheer in 1947, making
it one of the oldest original drug stores in the state.

The soda fountain recently gained news coverage by the
Star Tribune newspaper when it listed Howard Lake Drug as an original establishment,
complete with a seven-stool soda fountain and a mudball specialty (a mudball
is a vanilla ice cream sundae topped with chocolate syrup and peanuts).

Mudballs are still made today, Marilyn Ringold said. In
fact, recently the drug store was visited by a woman from Honolulu and man
from Seattle, looking for the mudballs, because of the Tribune article.

Longtime proprietors John and Marilyn Ringold plan to have
an anniversary party at the store 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9. There
will be free ice cream cones, hot dogs and music by Patty Munson.

The Ringolds have owned the pharmacy for 24 years. The
business has been only under four sets of proprietors during the 85 years
it has operated.

From 1917 to 1937, Wes Scheer and R. E. Bushey operated
it, from 1937 to 1948 Scheer operated it alone, from 1948 to 1978 Robert
Rekedal operated it, and then the Ringolds from 1978 to the present.

The drug store was first formed when two Howard Lake pharmacies
were merged into one.

The following news account in the May 31, 1917 Herald documents
this merger:

Drug Stores Combined

A business deal of considerable importance was closed
yesterday whereby W.A. Scheer and R. Bushey became the owners of the Workman
Drug and Grocery store.

Mr. Scheer has for the past year and a half conducted
the New Drug Store, and Mr. Bushey, who comes from Little Falls, is also
a pharmacist with considerable experience.

The new proprietors will move the stock from the New
Drug Store to the Workman building in a very short time.

Scheer served the Howard Lake community for many years,
and then retired from the pharmacy business in 1948, when Bob and Ruth Rekedal
purchased the business.

Rekedal’s tenure was first reported in the Herald when
it changed hands in 1978.

New Owners of Howard Lake Drug Store

Transfer of ownership of one of Howard lake’s oldest
businesses took place on Saturday August 5, when Bob Rekedal sold the Howard
Lake Drug and Realty Building to John Ringold of Stillwater, Minnesota.

Today, the drug store holds many memories, along with vintage
early 1900s prescriptions on the shelves for show.

John Ringold hopes that small town, family owned pharmacies
will continue to prosper and serve their communities.

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