Print |
E-mail to a friend
BUSINESS
Griffith and Feil continues family drug store tradition
From left Heidi Romero, Sandi Griffith, and Rick Griffith of Griffith and Feil Pharmacy Wednesday, July 23, 2008, located at 1405 Chestnut Street in Kenova.
Purchase this photo
KENOVA -- Though many reluctantly waved goodbye to an era of sock hops, poodle skirts and big bands, a local shop breathes life back into the golden age of the 1950s.
Ricky W. Griffith continues a family tradition by running Griffith and Feil, a pharmacy and soda fountain tucked away in the quaint city of Kenova.
"While our pharmacy is constantly embracing new technology, it's a joy to hang on to people's perception of an old pharmacy," said Griffith.
The little drug store, located at 1405 Chestnut St., Kenova, sports every modern necessity, while the soda fountain is run in a completely traditional fashion. The soda fountain, made up of entirely original machinery, continues to make deliciously hand-mixed sodas. Delectable syrups, such as vanilla and cherry, are just some of the flavorful choices to add to Coke products.
Aside from the delicious drink choices, their menu offers and array of sandwiches, burgers and sundaes.
Stepping into Griffith and Feil, one is reminded immediately of the past. Black and white photos of Kenova's rich history line the walls. One touch that makes Griffith and Feil so endearing is the newly refurbished tin ceiling. Other eye-catching additions include a juke box, original benches and stools and a soda fountain bar filled with colorful antiques, which have been chosen carefully from all over the country.
Over the past few years, Griffith has slaved to restore the soda fountain to its original glory. Though his father, Dick Griffith, removed the soda fountain in 1959, Griffith always dreamed of bringing it back. Knowing the perfect opportunity would never come, Griffith decided to merely take a chance on the restoration process and hope for the best. Griffith brought the soda fountain back in 2004, finally making his dream a reality.
"Restoring the soda fountain was part of my greater dream for this city, to create opportunities for the city to develop while preserving its history," said Griffith.
The three years leading up to the 2004 reopening of the soda fountain would be the hardest part of Griffith's journey. His first step was actually finding an original soda fountain.
Though he searched all over the country, he ironically would find what he was looking for in Huntington. Pete Cooper, owner of "Village Roasters," was happy to pass on his antique soda fountain to Griffith. Though Griffith faced several daunting challenges, such as getting the soda fountain through the small front door or his wild goose chase for other unique antiques, he never lost his perspective.
"People like having something that reminds them of their past," said Griffith.
Griffith and Feil is one of the oldest continuous shops in Kenova. R. Ney Williams, a pharmacist from Blacksburg, Va., originally opened the pharmacy in 1892. The pharmacy took up residence in several locations such as a railroad office and Glenwood Hotel. Yet in 1914, Williams built the pharmacy's final, and current, home.
Griffiths family joined the pharmacy when his uncle, Simpson Griffith came to work there right out of high school. Dick Griffith eventually would join the pharmacy as well in 1936 after graduating from pharmacy school at the University of Cincinnati. Glen Feil joined the pharmacy team soon after as well. In 1943, Williams died, and Dick Griffith and Glen Feil officially took over management and ownership of the pharmacy. Ten years later, the name was changed from R. Ney Williams Pharmacy to Griffith and Feil.
Today, Griffith carries on the family tradition with his own family: his wife Sandi K. Griffith and daughter Heidi N. Romero, who recently graduated from pharmacy school. Both Heidi and Sandi enjoy the thriving business Griffith has worked so hard to restore. The soda fountain and pharmacy always has been a staple of the community, but today is a haven for those who come to remember history, see old friends and enjoy the upbeat optimism that has become the atmosphere of Griffith and Feil. For more information on Griffith and Feil, or call 304-453-4192.
