Our attention turns to the Klimoski family, successors to the Millanes, who operated at several Holyoke locations, including 773 Dwight Street.
In early 1948, Charles Klimoski purchased the pharmacy at 773 Dwight Street from Arthur J. Millane, whose family pharmacy roots dated back to 1898.
Charles Klimoski was born in Austria on October 21, 1896, according to his World War I draft Registration. He was one of 8 living children of Martin and Veronica Klimoski who emigrated from Eastern Europe in 1909. His 7 siblings were all born in Massachusetts, according to the 1910 U.S. Census. Charles's father worked as a farm laborer at the time.
In 1918, Charles Klimoski passed his pharmacy boards and had been working in Holyoke's Ward 4 pharmacies since 1912. Mr. Klimoski went on to work in pharmacies in Northampton, Springfield, Westfield, and Chicopee.
In 1929, he purchased a pharmacy at 159 High Street at the northwest corner of Hampden Street. The corner had a long history of druggists dating back to 1871. Pharmacies at that location included G. L. Brown in 1871, Fred F. Whitcomb in 1882, John Doyle in 1896, and the Vernon Drug Company in 1921. Charles Klimoski renamed the pharmacy Hampden Drug Company when he acquired the business in 1929.
Moving forward to 1948, he purchased his second pharmacy, Millane Drug Company, leasing the premises for 5 years at $70 per month, with an option to extend for another 5 Years at $75 per month.
The pharmacy at 773 Dwight Street would be managed by Charles Klimoski's son, Edward Klimoski, and his wife, Yolanda (Dulizio) Klimoski. Both were graduates of the Western Massachusetts School of Pharmacy, located on Chicopee Street in Willimansett, and were registered pharmacists.
The initial lease lasted about 14 months, until April 8, 1949, when Charles and his wife Tessie (Gnatek) Klimoski purchased the building at 771-773 Dwight Street from Arthur J. and Margaret McEwan Millane.
Both the Hampden Drug Co. and Millane Drug Co. operated concurrently until the former was closed on October 16, 1954. The stock from High Street was transferred to the Millane Drug Co.
The retail pharmacy was changing, and stores were not limited to pharmaceuticals and remedies. Millane's had a soda fountain serving beverages, some food items, ice cream, and, in time, snow cones. The store stocked gift items, toys, toiletries, and greeting cards.
In 1957, the store was modernized with P. J. Kennedy performing the general contract work, S. Marks and Co. providing the glass and aluminum framing, and New England Sign Co. adding the plexiglass signage.
When reminiscing about the late 1960s and mid-1970s, the store had a family-friendly feel. Whether you were shopping there or stopping by for an ice cream cone or a beverage, several members of the Klimoski family were there to help or serve. There are some human-interest clippings below that I hope you'll enjoy.
The pharmacy served the community, especially the residents of Ward 4, until it stopped filling prescriptions on December 31, 1981, in anticipation of its closure on January 31, 1982. This ended Millane Drug Co.'s presence in the Pine and Dwight area under the ownership of two successive families after more than 80 years.
Prescriptions were moved to Main Pharmacy on High Street, where Edward Klimoski worked for a short time. He later worked at Martin's Pharmacy on upper Hampden Street.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; publication dates and pages are shown.
Ancestry.com (paid subscription): Genealogy Records and Price & Lee, Holyoke, Massachusetts, City Directories
1911 Richard's Atlas of the City of Holyoke, Massachusetts
Registry of Deeds, Hampden County, Springfield, Massachusetts
