After 80 years, Burch Pharmacy is set to close.

[myrna minx]

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/89878847.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUnciatkEP7DhUsl

Burch Pharmacy, an independent drugstore that's anchored the corner of Hennepin and Franklin avenues in south Minneapolis for decades, will close at the end of April.


:cry: We lost the Uptown Bar and now this - this makes me truly sad.

[geardaddy]

1. The Uptown Bar is supposed to open

again sometime this year. I heard that they'll go into the Theater Antiques building in Lyn-Lake.

I hope this rumor it true!

[glinda]

2. Since I moved away from Minneapolis, so many of my old haunts have closed. Ususally

when a good place attempts to relocate, it tends to fail. I personally thought that the actual intention of making the Bar close was to "kill it" and anything good and progressive that it stood for. Turning it into office space or whatever is a loosing proposition as there is a glut of vacant space. I think the intention was to "kill it". It makes me very sad and angry.

[geardaddy]

3. The Uptown closed because the owner got old

and wanted his money. But I totally agree with your feeling of an attempt to kill it. I live in Uptown and the only thing going into empty spaces are chain stores.

Uptown has become Updale.

[myrna minx]

7. Updale - isn't that the truth.

:-(

[glinda]

9. It went that way in the late 80's or started to. Really sad. Also hate DT Mpls. too now.

[myrna minx]

12. Calhoun Square is a prime example of that. Now it's nearly a ghost town.

I hope Booksmart as well as Magers and Quinn can hang in there.

[glinda]

14. It was near a Ghost Town before I left. My City has lost many wonderful places.

[myrna minx]

5. It's great that they'll make it a go, but it won't be the same.

I'm so saddened by what Uptown is becoming - one big chain store. :-(

[Morning Dew]

4. Awww, damn.

I haven't been in there in years but way back when, I lived around the corner at 20xx Dupont ( across from the Scottish Rite Temple). Too bad.

At least we still have Lyle's. I was at Lyle's when the news broke that Reagan had been shot.

[myrna minx]

It's such a great area.

I spent this past New Years Day at Lyle's having breakfast with friends. :D

What a memory to have about Lyle's! :wow:

[Randomthought]

10. In one of the three brownstones?

I lived in the middle one for three years

[Morning Dew]

13. I was in one of the duplexes.

Truth to tell, I think that one is boarded up now. Too bad, it was a great house.
I drove by there recently and it was in disrepair.

We had the upper unit and it had two floors and 4 bedrooms - perfect for college roomies... heck, 20 some years later, two of us are still housemates.

[Randomthought]

6. Really Sad

I like Cal a lot and even though I moved out of the neighborhood I still come to Burch to get my 'scripts filled.

[myrna minx]

8. I think of the employees who have worked there since the early 1970's.

What are they to do? I wish Cal could have found a new owner. I'll mourn the passing of this institution. :-(

[Randomthought]

11. It's hard for the independent

Before my divorce I was on Allina's health insurance. If I went to an Allina owned pharmacy my co-pay was $5.00 less. I still went to Burch but a contributing factor to driving the independents out.
Cal told me that at first Allina said they would not undercut the other pharmacies that way but of course they did.
Also I talked with him at one time about the pharmacist that refused to fill birth control or morning after pills. He was very clear that what a doctor prescribed was none of the pharmacist business other than to double check for interactions or allergies.
I am really going to miss going there. Target or Walgreen's is just not the same.

[GAspnes]

15. Another piece of history

The Loring Cafe. John's Chinese. Burman Buckskin (replaced by the Federal Reserve building, no less). The Guthrie. Grossman Chevrolet. Met stadium. Betamax.

At least Al's Breakfast is still there.

Of course, a few projects improved things, like the revamp of Hennepin and Lyndale by the Guthrie.