THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY
Richard “Dicky” Flye, president and CEO of Mast Family Drug Company, was on Tuesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss the upcoming grand opening of the new Mast Drug Store.
The multi-generational business, part of the Henderson community for over 50 years, will be moving from its current location at 501 S. Chestnut Street to its new location on Dabney Drive.
New Mast Drug Store on Dabney Dr. in Henderson undergoes finishing touches before its anticipated December 2019 grand opening. (WIZS photo)
With an anticipated early December opening, the company is waiting on the final permits to be signed and approved by the North Carolina Board of Pharmacy before announcing an official date.
The new building is located on the Mast Drug-owned property beside Quick Print, and is being constructed by H.G. Reynolds Company, Inc, a group that Flye said, “has done a fine job and are good folks from Henderson.”
At 4,500 square feet, the new location will be more than double the size of the current Chestnut Street building, thus allowing for a bigger pharmacy area, larger storefront and a gift shop.
Flye said it is fair to say that while the location will be changing, the services and the community feel will only continue to grow.
In fact, customers will see many of the same familiar faces when the new location opens, including long-serving Mast Drug employee Gayle Cheek, pharmacy manager, and David Vick, retail manager.
Briefly describing the history of Mast Drug, Flye said there was a time when the current Quick Print Building was a Henderson Drug location owned by his father-in-law Bill Mast and partner Charles Barnett.
When Mast and Barnett parted ways, Mast continued to operate the pharmacy [current Mast Drug] on Chestnut Street while Barnett ran the drug store at the Dabney Drive location for a number of years before moving his business farther down the road.
“We’ve missed being on Dabney; it was time to come back. Dabney is growing and there is going to be a lot of construction there in the next couple of years. It’s a busy area and it makes business sense to do it,” said Flye.
The most important thing to the family, according to Flye, is that Mast Drug is able to expand its coverage and its services while remaining local.
“We have family members involved – a generation below me. This is for them to take forward. I’ll still be around for a good while, I hope! This will set it up so we can continue in Henderson. It means a lot for us to be in Henderson and stay here. We are Henderson folks and we look forward to seeing you at our new store.”
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To hear Flye’s interview in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.