| Perley Waltz opened Waltz Pharmacy in the summer of 1948 in the then
newly-constructed Professional Building on Main Street in Damariscotta. As a pharmacist
and entrepreneur, Perley saw an opportunity to start his own business and provide a needed
service to the area. At that time, local ownership was the standard and Waltz Pharmacy was
a family effort right from the start. Perley's wife, Gerry, helped out behind the scenes
doing the bookkeeping and their daughter Jo-Ann served customers at the soda fountain on
opening day. The summer heat on Main Street could be quenched with a large frothy ice cream soda, or a thick chocolaty frappe from Waltz's soda |
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| fountain, to be shared with someone special or purely indulged alone. There were always folks to talk to at the counter - drinking coffee or a soda, and passing the time with friendly chat. | |
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Perley Waltz ran the pharmacy by himself for nearly 20 years. In that
time, Jo-Ann had married her high school sweetheart, Winton Jacobs, and the couple had
returned to Damariscotta following completion of Winton's service in the Air Force. Winton
went on to pharmacy college and joined Perley in the pharmacy after graduation in 1960. He
and Perley worked together until Perley passed away in 1980. After Perley's death, Jo-Ann and Winton proudly carried on her father's tradition of personal pharmacy service with a hometown, friendly atmosphere. The soda fountain remained, and the store excelled at serving the community with its health and wellness needs. But not without competition. The Jacobs' commitment to what they believe to be good and honest pharmacy service is evidenced by |
| their perseverance through big-city pharmacy competition. In the 1980s, one regional pharmacy chain even opened a store at a location sharing the same interior wall as Waltz Pharmacy! To ensure survival of the family business, the Jacobs provided personal service, which the competition could not, and constantly turned down buyout offers from various large corporations. The regional competitor next door closed its doors after a decade or so, and Waltz Pharmacy emerged as the only independent pharmacy in Damariscotta. | |
By the 1990s, another family member had shown a commitment to the family business. The Jacobs' son, Dean, graduated from the University of Rhode Island's pharmacy college and began to work with his dad. As a child, Dean would often be underfoot while his father filled prescriptions. As a teen, he performed various stock-boy and maintenance duties around the store. He was even a soda jerk at the ever-popular and unchanged fountain. Dean grew up to be a third generation pharmacist and an integral member of the prospering business.
| While Jo-Ann managed many aspects of the front store, Winton and Dean saw
a growing prescription business blossom. The Jacobs' family pharmacy business was a
welcoming comfort to area residents of all ages, even as the staff grew. The familiar
faces, and expert service, were hallmarks of their business. Dean became more involved in the daily operation of the business, as well as serving as a pharmacist. He saw that the concept of family-owned pharmacy and a solid reputation could be expanded into the neighboring towns. In 1996, a store was opened to serve |
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| the residents of Wiscasset. Slowly but surely, Dean's passion was
realized as stores were purchased in Waldoboro and Boothbay Harbor. Evidencing his grandfather's entrepreneurial spirit, Dean thought it seemed possible that a regional group of independent pharmacies could survive and prosper in the face of large-chain growth. In 1999, Dean partnered with two other local pharmacy owners and together, they provided pharmacy services from Boothbay Harbor, to Searsport Maine. - all with the same philosophy that a locally owned business could excel at caring for the people in the community. |
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Today that mission has proven successful and the Jacobs' family now serve
as sole owners and leaders of their seven Hometown Health and Wellness Centers. Pharmacy staff is encouraged to take time to talk with customers, address their needs and concerns, and to listen to what they might be able to do to better serve those customers in the future. A full commitment to wellness has been demonstrated by the "Partnership for |
Wellness" program in which an on-staff registered nurse administers health screenings in each location, and at off-site events, in order to treat, supplement or recommend further detection of various disease states affecting our community today. A strong partnership with local hospitals, doctor's offices, and long-term care facilities has supported Waltz Pharmacy as the choice for wellness thanks to their ongoing ability to provide superior service. We think Perley Waltz would be pleased to see that the business he began nearly 60 years ago continues to play a vital role in the health care needs of mid-coast Maine. |
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