Two Drug Stores and a Beer Hall

There were two drug stores in Gowrie, the more substantial establishment being Bowman’s. Bowman’s was also the place where school textbooks were purchased until the time when the school took over this function. Even then, at least initially, the school district required that the students purchase the texts. Bowman’s was also the source of the supply of marbles to play this young boy’s game with. I can recall splurging once in the purchase of an agate — they were normally used as shooters. I was not a particularly good marbles player but I did participate.

The other drug store was across the street in a less imposing and not quite plumb wooden structure (Bowman’s was brick). Both stores had a soft drink counter of sorts. I think the second was called Youngquist’s Rexall but I am not sure.

After Prohibition was repealed Gowrie acquired a beer hall, much to the dismay of the local WCTU. This den of ill repute was located more or less across the street from the Johnson lumberyard. It usually had a few cars parked in front of it — non-teetotalling old farmers in town for a quick pickup I suppose. The building was a newly constructed one for the particular purpose.