Encyclopedia Dubuque
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
HARTIG DRUG COMPANY
HARTIG DRUG COMPANY. Albert J. HARTIG worked summers and holidays at the pharmacy owned by Otto Ruete. When Ruete became ill in 1904, he asked Hartig to purchase the store at First and Locust STREETS in Dubuque. Albert was then in his last year of pharmacy school at Northwestern University. Hartig hired as his first employee his sister Olga, a pharmacy school graduate and one of the first female pharmacists in Iowa. (1)
In 1917 a second store was located at 630 Main Street. In 1927 this store was moved to 756 Main. The third Hartig store was opened in 1934 at 25th and Central. The Main Street store was moved again in 1941 to 730-736 Main. This became Dubuque's first self-serve drug store.
Albert's son, David, entered the business in the early 1930s. Kenneth Hartig, David's brother, joined the firm in 1940 but was then called into military service during WORLD WAR II. When he returned to the United States, the two brothers assumed the leadership. (2) In 1944 the store on Central was relocated to 24th and Central. Construction continued in 1951 as a new store replacing the original at 1st and Locust was opened. In 1954 the site of the old Capital Theater became the new location of the Central Street store. The 1959 Dubuque City Directory listed store locations at 2203 Central, 97 Locust, and 730 Main. In 1964 the company built and opened a new store at 22nd and Central with a parking lot. Following the death of Albert Hartig in 1964, the corporate stock was owned by David and Kenneth Hartig.
David retired in 1970 and Kenneth took charge by purchasing all the corporate stock. A new store was opened in Asbury Square Shopping Center. This was followed in 1971 with a new store at 700 Town Clock Plaza in 1971.
Kenneth's unexpected death in 1973, left the company in dire condition. Richard HARTIG was just completed pharmacy school, but had other plans than returning to Dubuque. The company, however, had always been operated by a pharmacist. Changing his plans, Richard returned to Dubuque. Borrowing millions of dollars, he purchased all the corporate stock in 1983. (3)
The company owned additional stores in Dubuque and Oelwein before starting a branch in Galena in 1975. The two Holscher's Apothecary operations were purchased in 1977 and combined in 1980 to form Hartig Homecare, a home health and pharmacy, located at Kennedy Road and Pennsylvania Avenue.
In 1985 Hartig opened a pharmacy in Dyersville and began its affiliation with Snyder Drug Stores of Minneapolis. In 1989 the company purchased a building at 703 Town Clock Plaza and renovated it to serve as a drug store and the corporate offices. Hartig Homecare in 1992 was subdivided into Hartig Homecare and Hartig Nursing Home Services.
By 1996 the Hartig Drug Company operated seven Hartig Snyder Drug Stores, Hartig Homecare and Hartig Nursing Home Services. In the same year, the Hartig family announced the transfer through a charitable gift of the former Hartig Building at 700 Town Clock Plaza to Northeast Iowa Community College.
In 2001 Richard Hartig hired Fortune 100 executive Keith Bibelhausen to help guide the company. It was the first time in the company's history that someone outside the family had served as president.
In 2010 the corporate headquarters were located at 703 Main. Stores were located at:
157 Locust
Asbury Square Shopping Center
2225 Central
1600 University
Stone Creek Shopping Center, Dyersville
200 McGregor Plaza, Platteville, Wisconsin
1120 Bartell Blvd. Galena, Illinois
139 W. Maple St. Lancaster, Wisconsin
In December 2014, Hartig Drug Company representatives announced that the company had acquired Phillips Pharmacy stores in Belle Plaine, Williamsburg, and Monticello, Iowa. The stores would begin using the name Hartig Drug on January 5, 2015. (4)
In May 2018 company officials announced that Keith Bibelhausen had accepted the role of CEO. Richard Hartig would remain as the chairman of the board and Charles Hartig would join the business as vice-president and general counsel. (5)
In 2018 Hartigs was the nation's second oldest family-owned drugstore chain. (6)
Company officials announced in July, 2019 that Anderson Pharmacy in Preston, Iowa had been acquired and would join the Hartig company formally in September. (7) On August 3, 2020 Hartig officials announced the acquisition of Bellevue Pharmacy. (8) Continued growth of the company was announce in June, 2021 when it was announced that Hartig Drug Company would open a pharmacy in the Grand River Medical Group West location on Westmark Drive. The full-service pharmacy would include a drive-thru and would operate the same hours as the clinic. (9)
Hartig Drug Company officials in 2023 announced a new health clinic for specialized infusion treatments. Operated by Wes and Charles Hartig, the clinic would expand the company's range of pharmaceutical services. Medical infusion and injection treatments were necessary for a variety of conditions including digestive, rheumatological, and hematological concerns. Residents often had to travel long distances to receive such treatments. The clinic located on University Avenue included three private suites each equipped with a television, refreshments, and free internet access. Treatments required a provider referral and were administered by a trained clinician. (10)
See: WALKER'S SHOE STORE
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Source:
1. Kittle, M. D., "Corner Drug Store," Telegraph Herald, May 30, 2004, p. 23
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. "Hartig Drug Company," Tri-State Business, Telegraph Herald, December 30, 2014, p. 7A
5. "New CEO Takes Helm at Hartig Drug, Among Other Management Changes," Telegraph Herald, May 20, 2018, p. 3A
6. Kittle
7. "Hartig Drug to Acquire Preston Pharmacy," Telegraph Herald, July 11, 2019, p. 5A
8. "Hartig to Purchase Bellevue Pharmacy," Telegraph Herald, August 3, 2020, p. 3A
9. "Dubuque-based Drugstore Chain to Open Pharmacy in New Medical Clinic," Telegraph Herald, June 29, 2021, p. 2A
10. Nieland, Grace, "Hartig Opens Medical Infusion Facility," Telegraph Herald, Oct. 24, 2023, p. 1
Families in Business. (magazine) Telegraph Herald, July 30, 2010. p. 99
