PAGE 8, WHITBYFREEPRESSIWEDNESDAYý,MAY6,1987 whit bybus iness Whitby drugstore closes after 60 years on street By JANET BROWNE Saturday, May 2 marked the final day of service of one of the Whitby business district's oldest and dearest members, the Courtice- Allin's pharmacy on the east side of Brock St. N. Longtime owners Don Courtice and Norm Cormack have sold their pharmaceutical stock and the rest of the store's merchandise to the Lovell store in the Whitby Plaza. "It's certainly obvious why I'm getting out," laughs Cormack, previous co-owner of Allin's drug store of the past. "Sixty years on this street is enough!" But the two say they have mixed cmotions about leaving the store they have run as a team since the Allin business wrapped up in 1969. Through the years, they have established a faithful clientele, some previous customers of Cor- mack's from his years at Allin's drug store. "A lot feel sad that we're giving up, but we feel sad to give up," ex- plains Cormack. "It works both ways." Those who have more than a few Cormack, Courtice joined up 18 years ago good years of Whitby unfli their belt may recall seeing the young Cormack working under Arthur Allin, at his drug store where Van Belle florists now sits. When Allin took ill in 1945, he decided to sell his store to Cormack and his co- worker, Frank Gray, for the hefty sum of $1. Following Allin's death, Gray and Cormack took up where their boss left off, and operated the store for the next 24 years. Meanwhile, Don Courtice, a recent graduate from the Ontario College of Pharmacy, made plans for what was to become the Cour- tice-Allin drug store of the present. "I was working in Peterborough at the time, and wanted a store of my own," Courtice recalls. "Travellers told me to come to Whitby, saying it would be a good New walk-in med clinic opens A second walk-in clinie has opened in Whitby. Located at 127 Perry St., the Whitby Urgent Caré clinic is operated by eight local doctors, the same doctors who - have banded together to build the medical clinic on Centre St. at Dundas. "We originally had the idea a year and a half ago, but the building won't be finished till the enti of the year, so we just decided to get it going," ·said Dr. Walter Chang. Dr. Chang said the Urgent Care Clinic will move into the building when construction is completed. The clinic has opened as a direct result of the town's growth, says Chang. He says the eight doctors all do work at the Whitby General Hospital and all know how busy the emergency ward can get. He points out that there is a dif- ference between the clinic and the emergency ward at the hospital. "Urgent care means you can't wait until the next day but the problem is not a real emergèncy." Should a doctor deem tlie problem an emergency, Chang said the patient will be sent to the hospital. The clinic, which opened on Mar- ch 30, has been averaging 10 to 15 patients during weekday hours, 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and 30 patients on a Saturday and Sunday. The clinic is also open holidays. Chang says those using the clinie are mainly patients of the eight doctors, but when a patient whose doctor is not involved with the clinie needs treatment, they are given a copy of the diagnosis·to give to their doctor. Visits to the clinic are covered by OHIP, says Chang. According to OHIP, walk-in or urgent care clinics are referred to as 'emergency department equivalents.' At present, X-ray equipment at %the clinie is not available, but Chang says that will change when the Center St. building is opened. "This is a service needed in the commupity," says Chang. The other walk-in clinic in town is M.D.M. on Thickson Rd. S. site for a pnarmacy." Taking this advice, Coûrtice moved to Whitby, and opened up a store in 1948. The two pharmaists, Courtice and Cormack, say they enjoyed "friendly competition" for a couple of decades, until Cormack was for- ced to leave the original location of the Allin store. In 1969, Cormack joined Courtice across the street, and the Courtice-Allin drug store was born. "It seemed like a good idea - one big store is better than two smaller ones," says Courtice. Both men agree that they have "enjoyed a very successful operation for almost 20 years." Cormack has decided to put the .past behind him and "take it easy" for a while. "There comes a time in life when you've got to retire," he says. "We've both lived here and worked here all our lives. I'm going to go home, take some time to watch the grass grow." Courtice, on the other hand, wil. be working part-time as a phar- macist at the Lovell store on Brock St. S., the business he sold out tô. "I'm quite satisfied to go back to Lovell," says Courtice, who spent his first years as a pharmacist as an apprentice at one of the original Lovell drug stores. "I've enjoyed a very good business with the aid of a competent staff for all these years. Now, with less hours, I'll have more time to relax and enjoy life." Lake Ontario Steel Company (LASCO), a division of Co-Steel Inc. of Whitby, has announced distribution of .$3.2 million of 1986 profits to its employees - up 10 per- cent from the $2.9 million paid out the previous year. According to LASCO president Lew Hutchinson, the increase reflected the division's^strong per- formance in 1986, as shipments and operating profits were well up despite a widespread slump in the steel industry. Extended to the more than 1,000 LASCO.employees including hourly workers, the profit sharing amoun; ted to 13.9 per cent of the division's 1986 earnings before tax and profit sharing. Store meets travelling needs Something a little different. That's what Mandy Crawford wanted to offer in her latest business venture, The Traveler, another of the snops to open in tne new Whitby Lanes development off Brock St. N., just north of the four corners. MANDY CRAWFORD at the last week's grand opening Free Press Photo Although she'Il use the location to continue bookings for The House of Travel, based in Ajax, Crawford will also provide traveller's needs - suitcase stickers. aifts. "things to keep the kids happy while travelling," guidebooks and rnaps covering Canada, the U.S.A. and the world. "One of my first customers asked if I had a phrase book for Finland. She couldn't find one, even/in Toronto. "I said, "Yes. I do," recalls Crawford, to the women's surprise. "I wanted to continue booking and yet do more," explains Crawford, a 20-year resident of Whitby. "I didn't want to open a travel agency, but I wanted to combine it with what travellers need. "There is so much more for the traveller than booking a trip," says Crawford, adding that there aren't many stores quite like hers, which also sells dolls from around the world. "That was my goal - something unique," she says. She and Sylvia Schulz formerly operated the Boutex nearly new shop in Whitby, a store which sold clothes, made by residents, on cep- signment. They parlayed that irnco four stores - two in Oshawa, one .n Whitby and one in West Hill. Now Crawford is back downtown. "I'm really interested in seeing Whitby develop and grow," she says, noting new changes such as Pearson Lanes and Whitby Lanes boutique development. "Downtown .Whitby is really changing its scale of shopping." NORM CORMACK AND DON COURTICE Profit-sharing up 10% & Sout:h ML D ESSEN SMOKED&COOKED HAM DUTCH STYLE .79¢ CHOCOLATE BARS $ 59 (VERKADE)75,gr. DUTCH RUSK .79¢ MILD GOUDA $509 pnb. 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