Pharmacist reflects on running historic store
JACK GREENE
The Oak Ridge Heritage Preservation Association recently honored the Jefferson Compounding Soda Fountain with a Historic Preservation Award.
The institution dates to Oak Ridge’s World War II days starting in 1944. It originally went by Hoskins Drug Store. It currently stands as a restaurant, pharmacy and shop at 22 North Jefferson Circle in Oak Ridge.
The Hoskins name may sound familiar to residents of Clinton, as a similar business at 111 North Main St. still bears that name.
Current manager Jack Greene said R.C. Hoskins originally owned both establishments, along with others in the area. Mollie Scarbrough, Hoskins’ daughter, currently runs the store in Clinton.
Greene said he got his start working at Hoskins branches.
The Hoskins store on Jefferson Circle burned in 1972, just one year after Greene graduated from college.
Greene bought the store in 1973 from Hoskins who’d said he did not want to reopen the burned store. But since then, Greene has continued to run the business.
Greene splits his time these days, working mostly at Oak Ridge’s Food City while keeping ownership of the Jefferson Compounding Soda Foutain.
“I’ve maintained it. I’ve worked two jobs. I’m 77 and I still work 55 to 60 hours a week,” he said. “It’s been pretty hard. but I’m proud that my health has been good, that I was able to continue to work like I worked.”
He said he plans to retire from Food City, but was grateful to that business for allowing him to split his time. He said some customers move from seeing him at Food City to seeing him at Jefferson, which remains separate, depending on which items they need.
