AIHP Attends History of Pharmacy Book Release & Artifact Exhibit in Beloit

Cover of the book Soda Fountains to Robots: The 100-Year History of Grand Avenue Pharmacy and the Era of Independent Pharmacies in Beloit, Wisconsin

Earlier this month, AIHP staff members attended the release party for a new book about the history of independent pharmacies in Beloit, Soda Fountains to Robots: The 100-Year History of Grand Avenue Pharmacy and the Era of Independent Pharmacies in Beloit, Wisconsin. Although the book details the history of local drugstores in the area, it is primarily an in-depth history of a pharmacy that occupied the corner of West Grand Avenue and 8th Street and served the community in Beloit for more than 100 years.

Author Connie Sveum with AIHP Executive Director Greg Higby

Author Connie Sveum with AIHP Executive Director Greg Higby

Originally founded as Davreux Drug Store in 1910, the business was also known as Bach Drug Store (1923-1963), Finger Pharmacy (1963-1982), Grand Avenue Pharmacy and Grand Medical Supply (1982-2002), and Aurora Pharmacy (2002-2013). The meticulous 154-page book was written by Connie Sveum, the wife of former Grand Avenue Pharmacy co-owner Jerry Sveum, and is available for purchase from the Beloit Historical Society.

Soda Fountains to Robots details the history of the pharmacies that were located at the corner of Grand Avenue and 8th Street and traces the changes that occurred in retail and community pharmacy in the century after 1910. The book discusses the rise and fall of soda fountains, the changing nature of pharmacy practice, the establishment of home health care and medical supply departments at the drug store, the role of pharmacy technicians, and other aspects of the business of drug stores during these years.

The book also relates the story of the close-knit staff that operated the pharmacies. As the author Connie Sveum writes in the book’s introduction: “one of the most important themes of this story is the extraordinary bond that existed among the Grand Avenue Pharmacy staff. The team felt like a family and often referred to themselves in that way.” The book contains plentiful photographs of the businesses, the people, the products, and the events associated with the store. The images ably illustrate the story of this long-time community pharmacy and of the pharmacists and staff members who were dedicated to serving their patrons.

The book release party was held at the Beloit Art Center, and in conjunction with the book launch, the Art Center also hosted a display of antique pharmacy artifacts from the collections of Art Carl, a former co-owner of Grand Avenue Pharmacy, and Elroy Wirtz, a local retired pharmacist. The exhibit included artifacts associated with the Grand Avenue pharmacy, as well as pharmacy antiques from around the country.


Gallery of pictures from the Beloit Art Center’s antique pharmacy artifacts exhibit:

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AIHP Wants to Document Your COVID-19 Stories and Experiences

AIHP COVID-19 ProjectThe American Institute of the History of Pharmacy is documenting and preserving pharmacy stories and experiences during the COVID-19 global pandemic for the benefit of future historians and scholars. We seek to record the effects of this public health emergency on all types of pharmacy experiences. We invite you to share your pharmacy stories, photos, videos, artifacts, and other documentation of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.


You can participate in the AIHP COVID-19 Pandemic Pharmacy Historical Documentation Project either (1) by immediately sharing your thoughts/experiences and/or submitting digital materials or (2) by signifying your to intention to submit materials in the future. Please comply with all applicable local or state stay-at-home orders while self-documenting.


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Calendar of Events


Upcoming events of interest to historians of pharmacy, pharmaceuticals, medicines, science, and related fields. (Event information current when posted. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, please double-check the status of all events):


May 9-12, 2024: Annual Meeting of the American Association of the History of Medicine, Kansas City, Missouri.
June 27-30, 2024: ADHS Biennial Conference, Buffalo, NY.
July 7-11, 2024: International Social Pharmacy Workshop, Banff, Canada.
September 4-7, 2024: 46th International Congress for the History of Pharmacy, Belgrade Serbia.
January 3-6, 2025: Annual Meeting of the American Historical Association, New York City, NY.


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