Peoples Drug Company

A Pharmacy, a Gathering Place, a Resource, and a Piece of Jasper’s Heart

Pictured above: George S Hiller III stands in front of the former location of Peoples Drug Company.

Words by Jenny Lynn Davis | Images by Ryan McGill and courtesy of the Hiller family

For most of the 20th century, People’s Drugstore was a cornerstone of downtown Jasper. The business provided medicine, memories, and a sense of home to generations of families.

Incorporated in 1902, Peoples Drug Company eventually came under the ownership of the Hiller family, with George Hiller III becoming the third-generation pharmacist to operate the store. “For decades, everything happened on that street corner,” he says, recalling the drugstore’s location on 18th Street and 3rd Avenue.

His grandfather, George Samuel Hiller, had taken over Peoples in the 1920s, and later, his father, George S. Hiller, Jr., returned from World War II to continue the family legacy. By the time George III followed in their footsteps in 1971, the business had already grown into a community institution.

Though Peoples filled countless prescriptions over the years, it was much more than a pharmacy. It was also a department store, carrying everything from durable medical equipment to perfumes, greeting cards, and over-the-counter medications. The store’s gift section was a favorite among shoppers looking for fine collectibles, holiday decorations, and thoughtful presents; brides could even register for items for their new homes. Whether customers needed a prescription filled, a last-minute birthday gift, or a new shade of lipstick, Peoples had it all under one roof.

George S. Hiller Sr.

Just two doors down, Vance’s Drugstore was known for its soda fountain, a gathering place for school kids and churchgoers looking for a cold lemonade. Along with sweet treats and cold drinks, the store also carried schoolbooks, making it a convenient stop for students and parents alike.

“The state didn’t provide schoolbooks back then, so Vance’s was the supplier for the Board of Education,” George III explains. “In the fall, parents would line up down the sidewalk just to purchase their kids’ books and supplies.”

The Hiller family had purchased Vance’s in the late 1940s, eventually leasing the space between the two stores and merging them into one expanded drugstore. “That was a major expansion,” George III recalls. “We operated out of three storefronts, right in the heart of downtown.”

The soda fountain remained a cherished part of the business, serving up hand-mixed Cokes and fresh hamburgers made from meat bought daily at the local Winn-Dixie. Mornings brought businessmen sipping coffee at a table that would later inspire the Coffee Table Club which still exists today. Afternoons and weekends saw crowds of teenagers stopping in for a snack or simply a place to be.

“It was part of the community,” George III says. “The older crowd, the school kids, everyone had their spot.”

George S. Hiller III

The business evolved with the times, but its heart remained the same. Pharmacists knew their customers as more than just transactions. If there were a medical emergency, George III would step away from his own Thanksgiving meal to ensure someone got the prescription they needed.

In 1980, as Walker Regional Medical Center opened on Highway 78, Peoples Drug Company expanded once again. A second location, Peoples Pharmacy, was established in the professional building next to the new hospital, serving patients visiting physicians there and residents on the east side of Jasper. It remained a successful business for nearly a decade.

As the landscape around the hospital and medical complex began to shift, an unexpected offer to purchase the pharmacy came along.

“We weren’t actively looking to sell, but the opportunity arose, and we knew it was the right decision,” George III says.

Peoples Drug Company changed hands in 1988, and just a few years later, the downtown location was lost to a fire.

Still, Peoples lives on in the memories of those who walked through its doors.

“Even now, when I run into people from the Jasper area, they say, ‘I sure do remember Peoples Drug,’” George III says. “That’s the legacy—it was home.” 78