Turnage: Guardian Of Your Health Since 1905

By David Howell

Editor

WATER VALLEY – The Water Valley Area Chamber of Commerce selected Turnage Drug Store as the recipient of their Business Spotlight Award. Located on Main Street, the business has been a guardian of your health since 1905 when Wade Smith Turnage, a pharmacy graduate from Kosiusko, got off the train in Water Valley to open the business.

Third generation operator  Binnie Turnage shared the history of the business, starting at the beginning.

“The back bar with the big mirror was here when Wade came in 1905. There was a drug store here for 10 years before he got here so we don’t really know how long it has been here,” Binnie explained.

In the early years, Wade Smith Turnage had two different partners before settling in for the long haul that spans four generations of the Turnage family behind the counter.  B.L. Clark was an early partner and the store was called Turnage-Clark Drug Store. After Clark left it became Turnage-Atkinson Drug Store. In 1927, Mr. Wade Turnage purchased Mr. Atkinson’s part and it has been Turnage Drug Store since then.

Binnie also has fond memories of the fun and interesting times through the decades.

“I don’t know when it was, but I have been told that one morning when Wade went to work, there was a car inside the front of the store. It had been parked up on Wood Street when it got loose and rolled down the hill, crossed the railroad tracks and Main Street, and went through the front of the store,” Binnie recalled. “That was a shock. Kind of like the shock when there was a big display of fireworks in the front window – until someone flicked a cigarette in there. I understand that was quite a show!”

Another thing that was interesting was in the early days during the fall, before radios were a household item, Wade would get Mr. Roy “Shorty” Moyer or another off-duty dispatcher from the ICCR depot to run a telegraph wire to the store. There was a balcony inside the store, and he would set up a key and call down a play-by-play account of the World Series games to the people on the main floor of the store. Wade would put a grid on the front window with white shoe polish and keep up with the score and who was winning. They would pass the hat around the pot-bellied stove to pay the dispatcher a little something for his time and rent on the telegraph.

Next Generations

Wade Watkins Turnage graduated from Water Valley High School in 1926. He used to tell that at times there would be a funeral in town, and some folks would go by the store and order a wreath. His dad would call Memphis and order the wreaths. Then Watkins would go to he depot and get the wreaths off the 9 p.m. train and take them to the store the next day.

Watkins entered Pharmacy School at Ole Miss, graduating in 1932 with a PHC (Pharmaceutical Chemist) degree. He worked in Jackson for five years and then went to work with the Eli Lilly Pharmaceutical Co. for seven years. In 1944, he return home to take over the store.

“That was the year I started first grade,” Binnie added about the year his father came back to run the store. 

Binnie also remembers when he first started to work at the family business in 1948 when he was 10 years old, delivering magazines and medicine on his bicycle and sweeping up each evening.

“I also learned to jerk sodas and wash dishes,” Binnie added, explaining the soda fountain is and has always been a big part of the store’s tradition. He also recalled the store making ice cream during the late 40s and early 50s. 

“We had our own recipe for sherbet and it was good,” Binnie added.

Binnie graduated from Water Valley High School in 1956 and started at Ole Miss.

“I graduated in 1962 with a BSPh. and came back home to the family store,” he explained. That was the same year Watkins bought the building next door and expanded the store.

“I have been here ever since, and I am so grateful to be part of the Turnage Drug Store family.” Binnie said. 

Binnie and Jo’s oldest son, Robert “Bobby” Watkins Turnage, graduated from Ole Miss with a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree in 1999. Robert has been the new owner since 2008 and the fourth generation of the Turnage family to own the store.

Robert continues the tradition of a family owned and operated business that started well over a century ago. Mr. Wade, his wife, Fannie Lou and family ran the store for years. Then Watkins and Catherine took over with their children. After than, Binnie and Jo, along with Bobby, Dawn, Baine and Cora Lynn followed in the family footsteps. Now Robert (Bobby), Monica, Erick and Karen are next in line.

“To be sure, we are grateful for all the employees that have come our way over the years, worked hard, and been so faithful to help, thereby becoming members of the ‘Turnage Drug Store Family,’” Robert noted.

“And it has been a privilege to serve the Lord and the people of Water Valley and the surrounding area since 1905,” Binnie added. 

Register To Win A 

Throw Pillow

In honor of Turnage’s Business Spotlight award, the Water Valley Area Chamber of Commerce is offering a free throw pillow, purchased from Turnage Drug Store. The pillow depicts Water Valley’s downtown business area and is available to the person whose name is drawn on Friday, Nov. 30. Everyone is encouraged to participate in this drawing, and you have “10 days and two ways” to sign up between Nov. 21 and noon on Nov. 30.

You may stop by Turnage’s to sign up or you may sign up on the Chamber’s Facebook page. Go to: Water Valley Area Chamber of Commerce, and find the announcement called “Win a Water Valley Throw Pillow.” Then, type a COMMENT stating how many Turnage family members have worked in the drug store since their operations began in 1905.

A correct answer is not required, but you must respond to the question to participate in the drawing. Please note that “Likes” only will not be included.

Both types of ballots will be collected and combined, one per person; and the winner will be called or notified on Facebook. The winner’s name and photograph will be published in the following edition of the North Mississippi Herald.