Our History
In 1913, Meyer Pharmacy opened its doors at 94 E. Bremer Ave. in Waverly, Iowa. The business was born when E.H. Meyer entered into a partnership and purchased the existing John Nix Drug Store.
Following World War II, John E. Meyer joined his father in the business and eventually became sole owner of Meyer’s Rexall Drug Store. In 1958, John partnered with the owner of Stauffer Pharmacy, Max Eggleston, to form the College Hill Drug Company.
In 1965, the store moved from its downtown location of 52 years to a new shopping center at 10th Street and West Bremer, now known as Collegetowne Plaza. At that time, the existing soda fountain and grill were replaced with a Hallmark Card department. Meyer Pharmacy remains the longest standing Hallmark Gold Crown card account to date in the state of Iowa.
In 1976, J.E. Meyer sold his interest to his partner Max Eggleston. Under Eggleston’s direction, College Hill Drug Company bought a pharmacy located in the new Willow Lawn Mall and another in Independence, Iowa. These two businesses were eventually sold.
In 1984, Eggleston sold the stock of the College Hill Drug Company to Thomas J. Taiber, a staff pharmacist at Stauffer Pharmacy. Under Taiber’s direction, the College Hill Drug Company opened Julie’s Hallmark card shop in the new Village Square Shopping Center.
In 1995, Taiber made the business decision to remodel the Meyer Pharmacy location on West Bremer and absorb the downtown Staffer Pharmacy business. Stauffer Pharmacy was then closed. In 2006, Julie’s Hallmark was closed and assimilated into the Meyer Pharmacy location. In 2007, Meyer Pharmacy joined a growing network of independent pharmacies under the Health Mart franchise name.
Following 23 years of sole ownership, Taiber sold the assets of the College Hill Drug Company in March 2007 to the fledgling company RYKA Incorporated, owned by Ryan and Kate Frerichs. Ryan Frerichs continues to operate Meyer Health Mart Pharmacy today.
