NORTHBOROUGH – Locally owned pharmacies are a rare find these days. Up until 2017, Northborough was one of the few towns in the area to boast one with a 100-plus year history: Shattuck Pharmacy.
Claude Shattuck opened Shattuck Pharmacy in 1898 after moving from Vermont to Boston and then Northborough when he found a pharmacy business available. The pharmacy was located in the former town hall building in extra space that was rented to commercial interests, including the post office and a hardware store.
In 1944, Claude’s son Howard took over the business upon Claude’s sudden death. Howard, an only child, was discharged early from his service in World War II and moved back to Northborough. Howard relocated the pharmacy across the street to 17 West Main Street in 1973, which is where it was until it closed in 2017.
Howard’s son Paul, the third and final owner, returned to Northborough in 1980 after having pursued other interests, to run the business when his father retired. Shattuck Pharmacy was the last surviving independent pharmacy in the immediate area. There are still independently owned pharmacies in Marlborough and Sudbury. The former Shattuck Pharmacy building still stands but is currently unoccupied.
The original Shattuck Pharmacy had a soda fountain that was a common feature of pharmacies from the late 1800s until the 1950s. Ice cream sodas (vanilla ice cream, soda water, and flavored syrup) were made with homemade chocolate and coffee syrups―fashioned according to a secret family recipe. Paul no longer has the recipe but shared that his father bought imported cocoa from Europe in 50-gallon drums.
Penny candy and other traditional items were sold at the pharmacy until 1973. There was also a telephone available for public use.
Paul shared that one of the most notable changes that occurred in the pharmacy business since his grandfather opened his operation in 1898 is the credentials needed to be a pharmacist. Claude did not attend college but rather completed an apprenticeship when he lived in Boston, as pharmacy was considered to be more of a trade. Then, his son Howard graduated from college, which wasn’t required, but helped one to pass the state boards, which was required. In the 1950s, an entry level degree was required and took 4 to 5 years. Then, in the 1990s, the amount of schooling increased to 5 to 6 years.
Paul has a few antique objects in his possession. A set of scales to weigh items is among one of his prized pieces. He also has a Seth Thomas wall clock from the 1870s that hung in the pharmacy for more than 100 years. The Northborough Historical Museum has a few objects from Shattuck Pharmacy on display, including an ornate metal cash register made by National Cash Register Co., prescription ledgers, and prescription medicine bottles from the early 1900s. The museum is open free of charge on Sunday afternoons from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. during the months of May, June, September, and October.