Historian’s corner

Silver’s Drug Shop

Part V

By Dan Shine

Voice Columnist

What is your favorite memory about Silver’s Drug Shop?  For The Boy, it was walking there with his grandmother from her home on Union Avenue.  She made sure that they got there with plenty of time to stop at Silver’s soda fountain before the bus came to take them to New Haven for an afternoon of shopping at the 5 and 10s.

Dave Silver has some recollections of his own:  he found it especially rewarding to give his customers personal care in Silver’s Surgical Department.  Dave fitted them with braces, walkers, and the like, and enjoyed it immensely, knowing that it added to their comfort and mobility.

For Scott Silver, it is driving around during a blizzard, delivering vital medications during critical moments; and it is developing and implementing programs to ensure that medications were available to all, regardless of their ability to pay; and it is bringing innovative technology in, to upgrade a business that was known and trusted by all West Haveners.  These are some of the things that the Silvers refer to as the drug shop’s “Silver Lining.”

In 1960, the town of West Haven was one year away from becoming “Connecticut’s Youngest City,” a title to which it still holds.  The newly-completed Interstate 95 neatly bisected the town, handily linking it with a speedy route to surrounding cities and states.

Ground had just been broken in Milford for a new type of de-centralized shopping:  Connecticut Post Shopping Center (Now Connecticut Post Mall) was a departure from the time-honored Main Street shopping concept, and would participate in the shopping revolution that would sweep America in the 1960s.

Even then, Campbell Avenue was a vibrant shopping area, where one could find just about any product at any one of the locally-owned, locally-operated stores that lined the street.

But life is change, and time changes all things:  in 1982, the lunch counter served its last meal; and in December of 2006, the family announced that Silver’s Drug Shop would be closing at the end of that year.

But although the walls have changed, the Silver Lining philosophy remains, for the Silvers, Dave and Scott, have moved on to Stop and Shop; and although Dave Silver has recently retired, many of the Silver Lining policies have been adopted by Stop and Shop.

So don’t be surprised if someday you call for an emergency delivery of your prescription during a blizzard—and a pickup truck pulls up outside—and someone jumps out of the truck, vaults a snow bank and rings your doorbell.  It’s probably Scott Silver, providing that extra measure of service, with his ever-present smile.

And it’s just that kind of thing that makes West Haven special.