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Cantonment Pharmacy Closes After 41 Years, Millions Of Prescriptions And A Few Marriages
July 29, 2014
The employees at Cantonment Pharmacy gathered one last time. They shared a few laughs and a lot of tears as they covered the windows with paper and posted a closure notice. The employees, the family, of Cantonment Pharmacy posed for a few photos before saying goodbye. Then, with the turn of the front door lock, a big piece of Cantonment faded into the history books.
Pharmacist John Reading said the decision to close the landmark business after 41 years and millions of prescriptions filled was not an easy one, but necessary. The business, he said, was sold to Winn Dixie, with customer records transferred to their Cantonment store.
“It all came down to the economy, insurance and the big chain stores,” Reading said. “The little guys are just being squeezed out of business.” Small pharmacies, he said, often receive a lower reimbursement rate that big chain stores, and legislation signed by Gov. Rick Scott will only make the problem worse next month.
“We sold to Winn Dixie after they made a fair offer. They are fairly close for our customers, have a fair price and our pharmacies have worked together for years. It was just the best thing for us to do right now.”
“I’m going to miss seeing the people and the families I’ve know for three or four generations. I even performed marriages for a few of them as a notary,” Reading said. “We know the people so well…..we love them.”
Pictured: The employees of Cantonment Pharmacy gathered one last time as the business was closed and sold to Winn Dixie. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
46 Responses to “Cantonment Pharmacy Closes After 41 Years, Millions Of Prescriptions And A Few Marriages”
Dr. John and Johnny, if you are still reading these, I want you to know that even though the distance became too much you are a very loved family by my family.
I don’t travel to cantonment much and have been BLESSED to have a fairly healthy family. My fiance just informed me today that you were closed. I immediately Googled in hopes that maybe you guys just moved. I was so sad to see not only was i wrong but that you guys have been closed a couple months now. Thank you for the times that you served our family. I didn’t grow up here but walking into your store, no one would of known any different by the way I was treated. I appreciated that and THAT is why when we did need meds filled i would drive the distance. You have no idea JUST how many lives you touched and how many you led to God. Maybe ALL the wonderful comments people have left will give you just a bit of a hint. May God continue to bless your families as this chapter in your lives have closed. You surely blessed your community and will be missed as a business. Hope to see you around town one day!
Thank you all for the wonderful things you said. I think we all had a very emotional last day. I apologize for not giving notice to people, but in business you have so many contractual terms that must be observed and being quiet about the upcoming sale is always one of the most important terms. Over the years everyone has tried to buy us out but we declined. But these days the insurance companies and the big pharmacy manufacturers set all the prices and reimbursements and basically when we got out we had waited several years too long to make any money by selling the business. You cannot believe how much all of our employees miss all of our customers but like previous posters said, the big guys are squeezing out the little guys. I would like to say that over the years Winn Dixie has treated our customers better than the other competition in the area and they treated us fairly in the buyout. It doesnt make it any easier to say goodbye to you though. I know we will continue to see you around because we are not leaving the area…we are Cantonment and North end people. Thank you all.
I hate to see you all go did you sell Double Barrel Betty to them too? I know these big time corporations is just taking the little guys out of the small towns its sad to see at least it was to Winn Dixie and Not WalMart.
Johnny, you all have been helping my family and friends for years. It’s sad to see you all have to close the doors, but understandable. The Big Box stores have steadily worked on small businesses like you all’s for years. The Insurance Companies have joined in just to make business owners such as you all close the doors and send the business to others such as Wal-Mart etc.. I hate to see this especially for those that can’t afford insurance or Doctors visits and could always come in and at least get some good advice/medication to make them get better. I can’t tell you how many I seen walk out the door w/o spending as much as a dime for either of the above when it was obvious they had no money to pay with. I hope you at least hang on to a couple of bags of Circus Peanuts for Gene when he finally figures out you’ve had to close. We want to make sure we keep him happy. You all take care and thank you very much for all that your family has done for the community all around the area. Mike Amerson
To all the wonderful, dear friends and people of the North End. We have seen three generations come to us, and wept when we saw so many, too many to name here depart our world for that great new awakening in Paradise, with Jesus. I was always amazed at the number of “believers”; who not only loved the Lord, but the Readings and our wonderful crew. Some people were amazed to see and hear the Readings “testify”, and we even had some who wanted to have us. and them, place our hands on their medicine and pray that God would “Bless their medicine”, and heal them, and he always did! I don’t think you can do that in many stores, but i always thought it is just part of your healing. Financial advisers wanted us to sell Tobacco, Beer, Whiskey and Wine,and even Lottery Tickets. We could have made a lot of money and stayed open with it, but we are opposed to all those thing, but we do not presume to judge you, if you do like them. My motto has always been since I graduated; “If I cannot help you, I certainly won’t do something to hurt you!” May God bless and Keep you all safe and well from now on! John Sr.
Dr. Reading , you have been a good friend to me and my family . God bless you and your wonderful staff .
Thanks for all you have done for my family and serving the community so well. Sad to see you go.
I will always remember…
I am sorry to see this. Dr. John gave excellent advice over the years, from my childhood on. When I was around 10 yrs old, he checked out my cat, dx’ed pneumonia and prescribed medication, told my dad where & how to give the injections and saved that kitty’s life. He treated the matter with grave importance and me with great kindness. They will be missed.
This is a sad day, another small business squeezed out by corporate America. I will miss thier signature cough syrup the next time i get a cold, it worked every time and saved me some cash, being on a fixed income that was the difference between medicine and dinner. I loved looking at the miniture museum of firearms they had on display while i waited for my perscriptions to be filled and the people always made me feel welcome. I personally won’t go to winn dixie, just as another poster stated, winn dixie could careless about you, they are rude and just want your money. I will be going to Jackson pace on nine mile rd, it will be worth the drive just to get that personal touch that you get from a small pharmacy where the people take the time to speak to you and treat you like a person, not number. Mr. Pace and Mr. Jackson have alot of the same compassion and qualities that existed at Cantonment Pharmacy. I hope all ya’ll can find work without much delay, ya’ll are hard working folks so you will be an assest to who ever hires you.
I saw this coming..a sad day for the Cantonment area John and his family have meant so much to many of us in the Cantonment area. Cantonment Pharmacy has offered the kind of care, concern & service that will never be offered to the community in a “chain” pharmacy…they have truly been a blessing to the Cantonment Area. Thanks so much for all you have done for the people in our area.
OMG … We were just in a couple days ago and no one said anything about the plans to close ! We will truly miss our friends at Cantonment Pharmacy. Adam, Johnny , the girls at the front and of course Karen and her friendly smile and kindness. This is a sad day for us !! Best of luck to you all !!
I have been a customer at Cantonment Pharmacy since they opened their doors years ago. I am sad to see them close but understand why. The one thing I don’t understand is why they didn’t inform me they were closing when I was just there last week and actually had a conversation with the pharmacist and tech. I don’t like Winn Dixie Pharmacy and as a matter of fact have already transferred my prescriptions elsewhere. I will miss my Cantonment Pharmacy but I am extremely disappointed that they didn’t inform me of their plans.
I want to thank Dr. John and his entire family for all you did for my family. I don’t know what my great grandparents, grandparents, mother, uncles, aunts and sisters would have done if you’ll was not there to help them with advice and medicine when their income woudn’t let them be able to afford it.You never turn them away. I will never forget you. God bless you and yours forever. Because of your kindness. I try to help anyone I can. We will truly miss all of you. Job well done God servant.
Add my congratulations and my regrets to the long list ahead of me. The Readings have been an institution in Cantonment. I am sure that no one knows how many times they have helped people in need. I regret to see them go, but am confident that it is on their own terms. John and Johnny, I hope to see you around.
Mr.& Mrs. John Reading are a hard working couple who deserve to be congratulated on such an amazing long run in the world of home town pharmacy. The grace and beauty and humor with which they have lived their lives is an example to us all. I love them and their whole family very much.
SORRY TO HEAR THIS, WISH I HAD KNOWN. WOULD HAVE GOT MY PERSCRIPTIONS YESTERDAY. SO I GUESS WINN DIXIE HAS ALL MY INFO?
Pensacola/Cantonment has suffered a major loss with this announcement. Over the years, this family has looked out for mine with genuine love and concern for our well-being. The OTC medical advice I’ve received years is by far better than any I’ve received from all the doctors my family has seen. Even when I moved away from Pensacola, Cantonment Pharmacy was where I’d turn for medical advice. John has always had time for me and was sincerely glad to help. You’ve taught me a lot and I’m thankful!!! Reminds me of that old movie “You’ve Got Mail”, I’m heartbroken….Pensacola will never be the same!!!
The end of a Legacy ! The closing of The Best Pharmacy ever to be opened in Pensacola Fl. Mr Reading, Johnny & Adam were just the best in answering questions and being so honest in every thing they did. Dr John & The Boys have saved many lives over the years their Knowledge is way above most Physicians these days. I have been so Lucky to be close to the Reading Family for 48 years and my wish is for many more. So the Pharmacy is closing but the Real Legacy lives on in The Reading Family ! Keep it going . <3
I wish I could have said goodbye. I will miss you guys. Thanks for everything. I will NOT go to Winn Dixie.
Wow, my mom and dad used this drug store for us kids, I used for mine too. Going to miss all y’all . Please enjoyed all the thing you done for me hate to see a good place leave our little community . I’m going to miss my
I can remember going to Cantonment Pharmacy since I was a very young child. Like so many others, I thought “Dr.John” was the best doctor in the world. They were a part of Cantonment that just can’t be replaced. My husband’s family also used them, & my SIL was married by Johnny.
Dr.John, Johnny, Karen, & family-
You will be missed.
This makes me sad. Best of luck to all.
I will surely miss your being there, even though it’s been a while since I’ve seen you. It was always comforting knowing you were there. Thank you for all the courtesy and kindness you have shown to me in years gone by. I know your customers past and present will miss you all very much. You went beyond business as usual, and gave a personal touch. It was appreciated. May your families and your retirement be blessed. Will always love you.
Just went by Winn Dixie to check about my scripts being moved over, what a joke that was. Big companies like Winn Dixie don’t care about “you”. Much better experience at Cantonment Pharmacy
Another small business closing, thanks for being here for all of us.
For our family it was never “Cantonment Pharmacy” is was just “John’s Pharmacy”. He helped so many people. I remember about 40 years ago when they were in their original location. I was a little girl and brought him my very sick hampster. He treated a 7 yr old little girl with just as much respect and concern as any other customer.
This makes me want to cry!!!! We’ve been coming here for years for our Meds & my mama did also for years, I’m gonna truly miss everyone here! I want to Thank all of you that served Cantonment for all these years! Thank you Mr. Reading & Family for so many years & helping us when we had questions , this breaks my heart!! Love all of you & hope to see y’all again. Sherry Majors & family..
Mr.John and Cantonment Pharmacy will be truly missed. He has helped so many people in the community. I really enjoyed that one on one interaction with him, it was personal. You don’t receive that with the big name chains.
Now that really sucks. I have only been using them for about a year, but they were the greatest bunch of people…………
This isn’t fair. That the chains are squeezing the little guys out. No wonder everyone likes the little guys more. And especially cantonment pharmacy at that! They truly cares about their customers and treated them like family. They are the best pharmacy out here in the cantonment/molino area. Cantonment will never be the same!! They truly understood everything their customers were going under and always helped the poor. You can’t get that anywhere!
We love you cantonment pharmacy!!!
They are a great family. I really appreciated their kindness and compassion… something we will not get from a chain store. Thank you for serving our community so wonderfully. I wish the Reading family the best in the next chapter of their lives.
I got married there 19 yrs ago
Politicians are all slaves to the special interests….it doesn’t surprise me that government is trying to squeeze out the little guy. The Democrats do it through taxes and legislation….the Republicans do it through siding with big business….the result…the rest of us are left in a tight spot.
Walking into CP was like stepping back in time…greetings from staff that knew you by name, and superior service that doesn’t hardly exist anymore. So sad to see them go. John, Johnny et al have been a blessing to my family for generations. And this is a perfect example of how Corporate America has screwed over the little guy. We can thank big business, politicians, governors, and yes even the president(s) for the destruction of small business-America and therefore the economy.
We will miss all of you very much, sweet family to have known.
This is so sad..I work in a home town pharmacy and seeing things like this is down right scary…they like us were known for their customer service and “homey” atmosphere.. It really is a shame that all these insurance reforms and laws are pushing out the little guys..truly sad and I feel for the employees who lost their jobs..
I hate seeing indepent businesses such as Cantonment being forced to close due to big chain drug stores> -The personal attention offered by these independently run stores is sadly going by the wayside to make room for Walgreens, CVS and Walmart. Just so sad……
Sorry to see them close. A great pharmacy and employees.
Cantonment Pharmacy offered a throwback experience that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. A forgotten way of customer service and care. There’s a huge hole in the community now.
gonna miss cant clapp dr
I am so sorry to hear this! Dr. john and the folks at Cantonment Pharmacy have served the community well and have been so kind and helpful! They will be missed so much!
I am so sorry to see them close.
Great family business, it will be missed. Every dollar spent there stayed in the community.
Thank you, Cantonment pharmacy, for being there for all of us when we needed you. Everyone knew that Dr. John would help you out and tell you what your problem was if you didn’t have money for the doctor. Karen, you rock! Your smiling face has been a fixture up there since I was a young teen. I hope you all find something else to do that you enjoy.
This is so sad. They are all such a nice group of people.