On September 16, 2020

Woodstock Pharmacy to close next month

By Katy Savage

After 167 years, the Woodstock Pharmacy is shutting down Oct. 4.

Owner Gary Smith, who had tried selling the store to retire, said plans for a group of investors to purchase the building fell through.

“In searching for a buyer, I have concluded that the best outcome is a sale to CVS Pharmacy,” Smith said in a statement.

While the building in Woodstock will close, the pharmacy’s current customers will be able to pick up prescriptions at the nearest CVS, which has locations in Rutland and West Lebanon, New Hampshire.

Smith, who has operated the pharmacy since 1975, after taking it over from his family, wrote a heartfelt note to customers.

“The relationships I have formed have enriched my life and given me much pleasure,” Smith said. “I hope that the pharmacy has been the place of comfort for my customers as it has been for me.”

Smith declined to comment further until the pharmacy officially closes.

In addition to drug prescriptions, the pharmacy sells toys, stuffed animals, greeting cards and Vera Bradley handbags.

Smith employs around 10 people — most of whom know customers by name.

The doors to the Woodstock Pharmacy have been locked since the Covid-19 shutdown, but prescriptions are still being filled and brought to customers outside the door. Earlier this year, Smith said he was losing about 25% of his business due to the pandemic.

The closure will leave a hole in the town, which once supported two pharmacies. The Shire Apothecary, which was located across the street from Woodstock Pharmacy, closed in 2013.

Woodstock Select Board chair Mary Riley said the town has been “spoiled” to have a remaining pharmacy when so many other small towns have lost pharmacies to giants like Rite Aid and CVS.

“It’s really going to be a loss for Woodstock,” Riley said. “[Gary] has served us well and the people who have worked there have been people we’ve known for a long time and we’ll miss them, too.”

Patricia Campbell, a customer, echoed Riley’s statements in a post on the town listserv.

“This is a great loss for the Woodstock community where we have always relied on and benefited from excellent care and service,” said Campbell. “I personally want to thank all the staff behind the counter and behind the scenes and the pharmacists who knew us all as we knew them.”

Though there will be loss, the town might not be without a pharmacy long. As Woodstock Pharmacy closes, rumors that a new pharmacy will open in the basement of the Ottauquechee Health Center in Woodstock have circulated.

Amber Bedi, the marketing and public relations manager for Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center, said an announcement was imminent, but didn’t share details.

It’s unclear what will happen to the pharmacy building. The building, which is assessed at $676,900 on the Grand List, is in prime location in the Woodstock Village.

Woodstock Village Trustee chair Jeff Kahn, who owns the Unicorn, a neighboring gift shop, was confident the pharmacy building would be rented to a new business, but acknowledged there may be a short-term vacancy.

“It’s not good for Woodstock in general to have a vacant business,” Kahn said.

Do you want to submit feedback to the editor?

Send Us An Email!

Related Posts

Superstar Six-Pack construction hits new phase as helicopters fly in concrete

July 3, 2025
KILLINGTON — Construction of the new Superstar six-pack chairlift has reached an exciting phase this summer, with helicopters now flying in concrete for the tower and terminal footings. On Wednesday, July 1, a helicopter was seen flying to Killington Resort with a payload of concrete. Killington Resort is replacing its iconic Superstar Express quad with…

Local road construction plans for 4th of July week

July 2, 2025
The following is a weekly report that lists its planned construction activities that will affect traffic on state highways and interstates throughout Vermont for the week of June 30. Most construction projects will pause work for the 4th of July `Local roads in Rutland and Windsor County, include:     I-89 Royalton Construction continues Monday through…

Ribbon cuttings in Ludlow and Proctorsville highlight local business growth

July 2, 2025
A pair of ribbon cuttings on June 20 held by the Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce (OVRCC) marked a day of celebration for two local businesses and offered a boost of momentum to the region’s small business economy. In Ludlow, Aubuchon ACE Hardware unveiled its newly renovated store on Main Street with a grand…

Cirque Series celebrates successful Killington debut

July 2, 2025
By Polly Mikula The Cirque Series broke trail in New England with two new races. On June 7, runners raced up Cannon Mountain in Franconia, New Hampshire and this past Saturday, June 28, they tackled “The Beast of the East,” Killington Mountain. Cirque is also adding Crystal Mountain, Washington, to its national lineup of eight…