Volume 8 , Issue 8

Beegle Bros. Drugstore - Alva, OK...

photographs courtesy of - John "Monty" Beegle

In the old days... If you were taken a Sunday, afternoon stroll around the downtown square, as you passed the 500 block of Flynn Avenue you would have passed the Beegle Drugstore, in the middle of the block (between 5th & 6th street, on Flynn Avenue).

It all began around 1907 when Andy and Bert Beegle bought the "Hess & Gamble drugstore" on the south side of the square. The Beegle Brothers Drug Store operated under the name of the "Owl Drug Store" for a time but changed the name to "Beegle's Drug Store" when they moved to the north side of the square. That drugstore was located in the 500 block, north side of Flynn Avenue, across from the downtown square and courthouse. Flynn Avenue formed the North border of Alva's downtown square. Beegle's Bros. Drugstore was located just a little west of the center of the 500 block. The downtown square is bordered by College Avenue (6th Street) on the West; Flynn Avenue on the North; Barnes Avenue on the South; 4th Street on the East; and with Government street cutting through and dividing the square in half.

John "Monty" Beegle uncovered these Alva photos of yesteryear. The oldest was taken at the Beegle Brothers Drug Store with J. H. "Bert" Beegle (John's grandfather) on the left. Unidentified in the background is a soda fountain customer awaiting her order being carried by an employee at the end of the soda fountain.

Also... unidentified behind the soda fountain is the soda jerk (on the right side of photo). He is standing next to what appears to be a huge tiffany lamp that one would likely find in one's attic today. Notice the large doll standing on the end of the sofa fountain? AND... what about those old bar stools. Don't see those anymore, do you?

In this photo John's grandfather is the gentlemen on the left, and looks to be about 45 years old which would probably date the photo back to about 1911.

This photo is mounted on a heavy stock containing an embossed logo from "Ross Studio" in Alva, Oklahoma. Perhaps this information could help date the picture.

In this 1941 Beegle family photo shot taken during the Christmas season of 1941 is John's grandmother (the former, S. Bell Hiatt); his brother Ralph A. "Skip" Beegle (center); his grandfather Bert Beegle (lower left) and John "Monty" Beegle (next to his grandfather). The Beegle family shot was taken at John "Monty" Beegle's grandparents house on Locust Street, in Alva, Oklahoma. The last time "Monty" was in Alva (about 30 years ago) the house was associated with a college there and/or was being utilized as a dormitory or sorority house. Anyone out there no if it is still standing today?
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