boisee.com » Orville Jacksons

October 21, 2004

Orville Jacksons

Filed under: Uncategorized — boiseboy @ 2:57 pm

In a world were you need a travel agent and a tour guide to find your way around the mall or the big �box� store, Eagle�s retail legend Orville Jackson’s is a treat. For nearly a century, Orville Jackson’s Eagle Drug Store has never been �just out.�

In 1906 Pharmacist L.B. Harris opened The Eagle Drug Store for five hundred dollars.�Harris sold out to Orville Jackson in 1922. Jackson�s soon became a retail powerhouse for the western Treasure Valley. Drugs including “prescription” whiskey sold from a fifty gallon barrel, horse tack, rat traps, candy and hardware where all available.

The drug store is located on �old� Idaho State Highway 44 in the once sleepy Eagle, Idaho. From day one Jackson strove to provide the once rural and out of the way community everything it needed to spare their customers the long trip into Boise or Nampa. A trip to the soda fountain was considered a treat for many Treasure Valley kids. As Eagle has changed and grown, Orville’s has�remained true to its original goal of providing �just about everything.�

Current owner Wayne Crosby can be found filling prescriptions daily(he�s only been here since 1972). Crosby’s efforts�continue to focus on providing for their customers while maintaining the look and tradition of an old country store. The old chrome soda fountain can be seen peaking over a counter, behind the bright Coca Cola red stools is the candy. Can you think of anywhere else you can find penny candy?

Against one wall is a museum of sorts. Long displays of old time glass hypothicary jars that once held quinine or sodium bicarbonate line the shelves; the yellowing paper labels are slowly pealing away. Across the aisle brands like Bloat Out and Hog Mange Oil are proudly displayed. While keeping with tradition, there is a transition occurring at Jackson�s. Yes, you can still find workman gloves, fill a prescription, or buy penny candy, but slowly Orville Jackson�s is becoming a gift and antique store. Coca Cola collectibles fill part of the shop. The Buckboard gift shop takes a room (is next door? I�don’t like this phrase)�and reproductions of old style signs grace the walls. Still, Jackson�s is a marvel of prosperity in the modern global generic business world. Like the East outside wall proudly displays. �Remember This! You can Always get it of Orville Jackson”.

5 Comments »

Do you need the services of a proofreader? I think you do. I would be happy to look over your work. This would save your readers from tripping over the awkward phrasing and bad spelling that often creeps up in a stories. I mean, if people wanted bad column structure they could just go to the Statesman. Or should I say “Mistakesman”?

Comment by dreamer — October 24, 2004 @ 3:23 pm
Dreamer, sorry you don’t like my writing, but as the great poet and philosopher Popey once said. . . �I am what I am.� David

Comment by boiseboy — October 25, 2004 @ 9:43 am
Dreamer you have a point. . . that would be “popeye.”

Comment by boiseboy — October 25, 2004 @ 3:49 pm
I had the pleasure of visiting Orville Jacksons General Store back in 1979-1980. What a memory I hold of that wonderful place.I use to live an Harlen Rd.(for a short time)There was this one girl I I remember(Missy,I think was her name,tall blonde)she said Orville was her grandfather or maybe Wayne & Jane were her relatives or something of the sorts)anyways,if you know her tell her an old friend says hi! I remember we use to always get candy from the BIG GLASS JARS.Always free from the man behind the counter.As a kid, that was the coolest thing ever.
I would like to send best wishes to the previous owners on their retirement and Good luck to the current owners. I don’t know what made me research this old place but i’m glad I did . I would have never known what had become of Orville Jacksons. God Bless

Comment by Lori — March 14, 2007 @ 7:25 pm
I am responding to the post on March 14, 2007 from Lori. My name is Melissa (Missy as a kid) Sharp and I am Orville Jackson’s granddaughter. It was great to read about your memories! Eagle isn’t the same quaint town it was when we were kids, I sure miss those simpler times. I hope that things are going well in your life and that you find this reply. My email is a_sharp_1@hotmail.com if you would like to contact me directly, or if anyone else would like to more about the great man that I am very proud to call my grandpa.

Comment by Melissa (Missy) — March 4, 2008 @ 3:42 pm

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October 21, 2004

Orville Jacksons

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