Ava Drug Co. will celebrate 60 years of serving Douglas County with four Saturdays of free activities for the community.
Among the August events: a community health fair, a Lennon Brothers concert, and a car show.
“We lasted 60 years in Ava because of the patronage of the people in Douglas County, and so our 60th anniversary is in honor of the customers that have helped us last all these years,” said pharmacist and store manager David Norman, whose family opened the store in 1950.
That year Norman’s grandfather and father opened the store with another partner. David Norman and his brother, Stephen, owned the store from 1976 to 1991, before selling the business to another owner. David Norman bought the store back in 2003, and in 2008, he sold the store to USA Drug, based in Pine Bluff, Ark. However, David continues to run the store as pharmacist and manager.
The store features a ‘50s-style soda fountain that offers Cokes, ice-cream cones and cups of coffee for 5 cents each.
During the 4-week celebration, all of the events listed below are free, and will be held in the parking lot across the street from the store. The drug store is located at 124 West Washington Avenue in Ava.
Concertgoers should bring lawn chairs for comfort. Free prizes will be given away each day as well.
More information is available on the store’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/AvaDrug
EVENT CALENDAR
August 7
3-5 p.m. – Ice-cream social (free ice cream and cake at the store).
5-7 p.m. – Free barbecue supper catered by Linda and Tony Stillings. Clowns will perform, free balloons and face painting will be available.
6 p.m. – Prize drawing for a gas barbecue grill.
7-8 p.m. – Free concert by Lennon Brothers.
August. 14
1-5 p.m. – Community health fair and blood drive, American Red Cross bloodmobile, and free health screenings, St. John’s.
6 p.m. – Prize drawing, for four tickets to Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede.
6-7 p.m. – Free concert by Buddy Edwards & the Killing Time Band.
7-8 p.m. – Free concert by the Gail Lennon Band.
8-8:30 p.m. – Clogging by the Pride & Joy Cloggers.
8:30-10 p.m. – Open square dancing.
August 21
9 a.m.-4 p.m. – Car show, with door prizes for participants.
4 p.m. – Prize drawing for an 8-person Coleman tent and cooler.
August 28
11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. – Community contests.
11 a.m. – 3-legged race.
11:30 a.m. – Sack race.
1 p.m. – Pet costume show.
1:30 p.m. – ‘50s costume.
2 p.m. – ‘60s costume.
2:30 p.m. – Hula-hoop.
5-7 p.m. – Scavenger hunt for church youth group teams, 6 members and 1 adult, $100 for winning team.
7-9 p.m. – Open clogging (all clogging groups welcome)
