1967 Owl Pharmacy - 120 F Street

This business location is 55-plus years old, qualifying it for historic status, though the real value is the longevity of the business itself, having been in Cheney in several locations more than one hundred years. Owl Pharmacy opened here in the summer of 1967. Along with its mid-century architecture, the building features three locally designed and made art mosaic panels.

Owl Pharmacy is Cheney's oldest business that is still in operation, as well as the third oldest drug store in Washington State. It was established in 1882, and has relocated several times in its long history

In pioneer days, the site of the Owl Pharmacy store we see today held a Blacksmith shop. In the late 1920s, a small gas station was erected at the corner of F and 2nd streets next to the Blacksmith shop. The gas station operated into the 1940s. 

After it closed, the old Blacksmith shop was used for storage until January 1967, when Ted Stahlborn bought the property. Stahlborn had been operating the Owl Pharmacy at 416 1st Street since the late 1940s. He had the old shop torn down and erected a new and modern drug store building with a drive-up prescription window. It opened in the summer of 1967.

An arson fire in January 1969 nearly destroyed the building, but Stahlborn rebuilt in the same place. 

There is a local family connection to the three owl mosaics on the building. Karl R. Morrison, EWU instructor, designed the piece. Daughter, Nancy recalled:

"The original tile mosaic was put together in our family's "rec room" - love the 60's. Dad drew out the design on brown paper and we all cut and stuck tiles to the paper with molasses. It was inverted into the grout on plywood and the paper soaked off. Had forgotten all that, I was maybe 10 or 12 years old. Dad's first designs were rejected because they wanted an owl with "ears" - Great Horned instead of Barn."

Nancy also explained the signature on the mosaic: "Vi (mama Violet) Lee (brother Karl's middle name), Ray (dad Karl's middle name), a family effort."¹

Son, Ken Morrison recalled, "The originals were glass tile mosaic, but cold temperatures and vandalism loosened so many of the tiles that Dad replaced the tile panels with painted duplicates that still hang [on the building.]"²

The building we see today is similar to the original. The large display window facing 2nd at the front corner has been removed, allowing more room to display merchandise. The rear 2nd Street drive-up window is gone and the corner has been squared off.

Another former interior building element was recalled by Doug Hancock, "..they had the coldest ice water in the drinking fountain by the rear door by the pharmacy. I would stop there while delivering the Spokane Daily Chronicle after school …."³

Owners at this location include Ted and Hannah Stahlborn, then Fritz and Patty McGinnis, and currently, Amanda Goyke.

With more than 50 years in this location, Owl Pharmacy is a locally owned and operated landmark that has been in Cheney 140+ years.

Cheney Free Press 1967, 1969, 2010

Cheney Phone books 1967-2010

1966 Cheney Chamber of Commerce Business Directory and Map.

Facebook Public Group "You Know You Grew Up in Cheney When?" comments, (1.) 2013, (2.) 2011 and (3.) 2016.