Phillip's Drugs (Gone)
Richmond, IN
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The Rexall sign is located over the side entrance of the drug store but the store is no longer a Rexall. The Phillip's Drugs is located in the Indiana town of Richmond. Many thanks to Alan Culley for info. 03-09

The pharmacy traces its roots to the 1950s and spent many years operating from this historic downtown building, which dates all the way back to 1860. While the original location eventually closed, the Phillips Drugs name lived on, and the family-owned business continues serving the Richmond community from its newer locations.

The old Rexall sign survived for years after the pharmacy moved on, giving the building a little extra character. Unfortunately, it was removed during renovations in 2019, bringing an end to another classic drugstore landmark.

UPDATE: The original downtown Phillips Drugs location has closed, although the business continues operating from other Richmond locations. The vintage Rexall sign was removed from the historic building in 2019. 07-26

Rosen Drugs (Gone)
Chicago, IL
Photo courtesy Tammy Terwelp

Here's Rosen Drugs in Chicago, where the marquee advertised more than prescriptions. Neighborhood drugstores like this also offered a place to meet, enjoy something sweet, and catch up on the day's conversation. 11-09

Abe Rosen founded the business in 1936, beginning on Chicago's West Side before moving north in 1955. The Devon Avenue store became remembered for its soda fountain, where milkshakes and sundaes gave customers another reason to linger. The familiar sign supplied the finishing touch to a classic neighborhood pharmacy.

UPDATE: The original Rosen Drugs locations have closed, and the marquee shown here has been removed. The Rosen name continued through Rosen's Morseview Pharmacy, linking a later neighborhood business with the family's earlier drugstore history. The old sign's whereabouts remain uncertain. 07-26

Kostrog Drugs (Gone)
Chicago, IL
Photo courtesy Tammy Terwelp

The Kosirog Rexall Pharmacy sign had plenty going for it: classic Rexall colors, neon lettering, porcelain panels, and an extra invitation to buy Fannie May candies. That's quite a combination for a neighborhood drugstore. 11-09

The projecting sign made the Western Avenue business easy to recognize from down the block. Rexall branding connected independently operated pharmacies with a nationally familiar name, while the candy panel added a Chicago touch. Even with weathered paint and aging metal, the display retained the character that made these signs worth seeking out.

UPDATE: The pharmacy has closed, and the sign was removed during building remodeling in 2019. Its eventual destination hasn't been confirmed. Unfortunately, both the Rexall lettering and the Fannie May panel disappeared from this familiar storefront. 07-26

Pathenios Luncheonette (Gone)
Rockford, IL
Photo courtesy Kelly Sullivan

Look closely at the sign for Parthenios Luncheonette in Rockford, Illinois. The old drugstore lettering wasn't simply discarded when food became the specialty. Neon spelling “Food” was incorporated over “Drugs,” giving the marquee an unusual second career. 09-10

Opened in 1969, the luncheonette occupied the former Hobson Drug Company building at 128 North Church Street. Its signs likely dated to the 1940s or earlier. The vertical sign's neon alternated between “Food” and “Drugs,” making the overlapping lettering a deliberate feature rather than a hurried cover-up.

UPDATE: Parthenios closed in 2010 after more than 40 years. The signs were removed in 2017, sold at auction, and preserved in a private collection. Fortunately, this inventive piece of Rockford advertising survived beyond both the drugstore and the luncheonette. 07-26

Ryan Pharmacy (Gone)
Bloomington, IL
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

Here's the elevated sign at Ryan Pharmacy in Bloomington, Illinois. Extending above the storefront, it gave motorists a clear landmark before they reached the entrance. A little extra height could make quite a difference along a neighborhood commercial street. 06-11

The pharmacy operated at 1118 East Oakland Avenue under the Harold Ryan Pharmacy name. Its sign belonged to the tradition of independent drugstores using distinctive lettering and prominent placement to stand apart from neighboring shops. For regular customers, it was simply the familiar marker for another everyday stop.

UPDATE: The original pharmacy sign has been removed, and the storefront has changed. The reported February 2015 closure hasn't been independently confirmed, so the exact closing date remains uncertain. The old roof-mounted display is no longer part of the Oakland Avenue scene. 07-26

N.H. Ballin Drugs (Gone)
Chicago, IL
Photo courtesy Jim Zahniser

Here's N.H. Ballin Drugs along Lincoln Avenue in Chicago. Its projecting porcelain-and-neon sign gave the storefront a presence that reached well beyond the front windows. This was the kind of neighborhood marker worth looking up for after dark. 07-11

The Ballin name became associated with pharmacy services at 3330 North Lincoln Avenue in Lakeview. Later listings included medical equipment and supplies alongside prescriptions, reflecting how independent pharmacies expanded their offerings. The old sign remained a reminder of an earlier retail era, when illuminated lettering helped customers spot their destination from the street.

UPDATE: The historic sign has been removed from the building. A sign bearing the N.H. Ballin name later appeared in an auction catalog, providing a promising indication that it survived. Its current owner and display location haven't been confirmed. 07-26