Purdam Interview

I called Dr. Norman Grossblatt, the owner of the pharmacy, last week to try to set up a time to meet in person. Up until that point, I kept missing him in person at the store, so I decided to call. Unfortunately, he felt that he would not have time to meet in person because he did not want to do an in-person interview and potentially take time away from customers. He did kindly offer to do a phone interview instead; he said that if customers came in, it would be easier to put down the phone rather than asking me to wait if I was there in person. Either way, I was glad he talked to me.

During our conversation, we discussed how the pharmacy is one of the oldest running businesses in Towson. Apparently, the business has not moved from its location since 1927, despite several ownership changes over the years. The doctor also mentioned all of the stores that have come and gone from the strip, including: a shoemaker's shop, bakery, convenience store and gift shop. All of the stores that have existed, Purdam is the only one that remains.

We also talked about how the pharmacy used to have a food counter that served breakfast, "pretty much any food that could easily be cooked on a grill" and drinks. He said the feature would attract older people in the mornings and students in the afternoon. The counter was eventually taken down due to increasing pressure to accommodate increasingly particular health regulations and the cost of maintenance. In the end, the owners decided the costs did not outweigh the benefits.

From my interview I was able to come up with an idea for a module: medication home delivery service. Despite the high prices for gas and service charges, the pharmacy still delivers medications to Towson residents upon request. With a Rite Aid and Walgreen within 2 miles from its location, it is no surprise that this convenient option continues to draw customers to the store.

I will use Dr. Glossblatt as a incredibly helpful fact source, but I plan to base the article around someone who has used to service.