The partnership of Roy Albright and Isaac V. Wood successfully located their drug stores at Mobile’s busiest intersections. Here is 1301 Government Street at Ann Street ca 1950. A closed drug store currently occupies the entire block. Courtesy Thigpen Collection, The Doy Leale McCall Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University of South Alabama
The question is which one?
Back in 1911, E. Roy Albright, a druggist with Ortmann Brothers, joined forces with Isaac Verna Wood, a druggist with Dave S. Bauer, and formed a partnership that would become synonymous with the word “drugstore” in three states. Their first store was opened on the northeast corner of Dauphin and Jackson streets.
By 1916, the firm had three locations with their second at the northwest corner of Government and Royal streets and a third at the north east corner of Royal and St. Francis streets opposite the Battle House. Mr. Albright’s career took a pause with World War I. He served as an infantry captain in Europe and before returning home had helped to form the American Legion.
In the mid-twenties, another store opened on St. Francis and Conception streets near the Cawthon Hotel. And, noting Mobile’s westward growth, a fifth location was added at the busy intersection of Dauphin and Ann streets.
Expansion Continues
By 1930, Albright and Wood had 16 stores in Mobile. They had placed one in the lobby of the new Merchants National Bank Building as well as on Springhill Avenue at Five Points. Midtown had several including one at Old Shell and Upham streets, Dauphin at Semmes Avenue and another at the intersection of what today is Old Government and Airport Boulevard.
An ad placed in 1935 termed the partnership “Wholesale and Retail Druggists” as well as being both ice cream and medicine “manufacturers.” Customers could find a selection of “cameras, candies, cigars, tobacco, toilet articles, sundries, garden seeds as well as a news stand.” Mobile’s doctors could find both “physicians’ and surgical supplies.”
Mr. Wood died on December 31, 1936. The firm he had co-founded was now the largest drug store chain in Alabama and in addition to the locations in Mobile there were 13 in Birmingham and another in Meridian, Mississippi.
More Than a Druggist
Roy Albright was prominent locally as well as on a state and national level in his profession. He was elected president of both the Alabama Pharmaceutical Association and the National Association of Chain Drugstores. He served as president of the Mobile Chamber of Commerce and was actively involved in the building of the original Dauphin Island Bridge.
Albright was long associated with Mobile’s Mardi Gras, serving as vice president and treasurer of the Mobile Carnival Association. His son and namesake ruled as King Felix, III in 1946 during the first Mardi Gras celebration since the start of World War II.
At his death at the age of 76 in 1963, there were Albright and Wood Drug Stores located in Alabama, Mississippi and Florida. Their ad campaign slogan of “There’s an Albright and Wood Store in Your Neighborhood” could not have been more accurate.
Four years, later the once-famous drug store chain was sold to Eckerd’s which would eventually suffer a similar fate. Today, the number of Mobilians who remember either chain is dwindling.
