Long before Ed Christofano set out for pharmacy school, he was already becoming a historian of the profession he considers to be a timeless form of art.
“What attracted me to it was how pharmacists and the practice of pharmacy were seen in the community,” said Christofano, president and chief executive officer of Christofano Associates LLC — parent company of Youngwood-based Hayden's Pharmacy.
“I'm just fascinated with the history of it all, so I collect and appraise pharmacy antiques,” he said.
Over time, Christofano has amassed a vast collection of pharmaceutical tools and devices from bygone eras — quite literally an interactive encyclopedia representing the profession's evolution, he said.
From vintage torsion balances to age-old bottles of medication to early-model drug decanters, Christofano said his cache reaches back well into the 19th century.
“I've been able to find leather-bound prescription ledgers from 1880 which contain more than 300 prescriptions hand-written in quill and ink,” he said.
But the highlight of Christofano's collection are early 20th-century apothecary show globes, which were used commonly by corner drug stores to signify the prevailing state of health of the townsfolk.
“These show globes preceded the ‘Rx' symbol to indicate an apothecary business,” he said. “Pharmacists would hang them in the shop windows, or suspend them from the building facades.”
If the glass vessel was filled with water, tinted blue, the town was healthy, Christofano said. If a rash of yellow fever was rampant, the pharmacist would fill it with water reflecting that color, he said.
“There are not too many of these are left,” he said.
One of the show globes hangs in the main operation of Hayden's Pharmacy in Youngwood, while another rests at a branch of the business in Hempfield.
In the coming weeks, Christofano said he plans to display another of the items in the business' planned second branch in Mt. Pleasant.
When he assumed ownership of the original Hayden's Pharmacy in 2007, Christofano selected the show globe as his company's logo.
“These priceless symbols were selected as our company logo to represent our dedication to high quality and tradition of personalized service.”
Pace of development surprises even owner
A drive to keep that quality and tradition alive locally prompted Christofano to purchase the building at 535-537 W. Main St. in the borough from the Mt. Pleasant Business District Authority.
The move came little more than a month following the announcement by owners of Diamond Pharmacy that it was closing its retail operation at the Diamond Mini Mall in town.
Christofano set out to be open 60 days from the date of purchase.
Christofano closed on the building long housing the In Town Shops from the authority in early February.
As his self-imposed deadline nears, Christofano said, even he is surprised that so many of the steps necessary to open the business within his time projection have been completed so quickly.
“To have this facility ready, licensed and open within 60 days of ownership of the building would be a truly amazing feat,” he said.
Achieving such an objective has required Christofano's employees to manage and operate the two existing pharmacies as he labors to develop the one here in the borough, he said.
“Those employees are just as important as the ones putting up the new store,” he said. “Everybody has collectively had a hand in doing this.”
Shortly after purchasing the building, Christofano said, he sought and obtained the necessary permits from the state and borough to develop the vacant, first-floor space there formerly occupied by the Mt. Pleasant Glass Museum.
“For a new establishment to open in today's economy, you have to be very selective and have some foresight,” Christofano said.
Looking to keep the effort largely local, he then sought the services of Milton Shaulis of Shaulis Design Group, a semi-retired architect who resides in Bear Rocks, to draw up the plans for the facility that would bring it into compliance with state and borough code.
“It's going to be reflective of more the older, more traditional, homestyle pharmacies,” Shaulis said of the pending business.
Next, Christofano contracted borough resident Joe Siska, proprietor of “Handyman Joe,” to carry out the construction end based on Shaulis' plans.
“It's going good,” Siska said of the progress of the store.
Christofano said he values the local partnerships he has forged.
“I like doing business with people who you can shake hands with, and who can responsibly complete the job assigned,” he said. “It's a throwback, and I appreciate other local businesses and their willingness to be involved in this process, to step up and do what is asked of them, promptly.”
Steps remain prior to grand opening
The opening of independent Hayden's Pharmacy in Mt. Pleasant is pending review by an inspector from the Pennsylvania Board of Pharmacy, Christofano said.
In addition, approval must also come from the federal Drug Enforcement Agency based on an application Christofano filed with the agency, he said.
“We've met all the regulatory requirements and design requirements from the state board of pharmacy's code. There are certain physical attributes a building must have that are patient-oriented, including a drop-off/pickup and consultation area for pharmacists to serve clientele.”
Almost daily, the items that will represent the nuts and bolts of Christofano's operation are being delivered.
They include customized shelving units, a state-of-the-art register and prescription filling systems, a full line of greeting cards, light grocery items and over-the-counter, health-related supplies ranging from first aid kits and incontinence supplies, to vitamins and minerals, he said.
“I deal with a total of 77 different vendors and manufacturers nationwide. A lot of them are local, within the tri-state area, and everything is made in America,” Christofano said. “Those are the kinds of relationships you, as an owner-operator, want to have to successfully open your business on time.”
In addition, Christofano said he is in the process of having a high-tech security system installed, which was crafted by Pittsburgh-based Overhead Door Co.
“Everything is right on schedule,” he said.
And when it opens, Christofano will hold a ceremony with his employees to fill the apothecary show globe with blue-tinted water, he said.
A.J. Panian is an editor for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-547-5722 or apanian@tribweb.com.
