Hermiston Drug: A Meeting Place for Generations

If you grew up in a small town, businesses like Hermiston Drug feel like a doorway to the past—a place where you could pick up prescriptions, stock up on greeting cards, browse comic books or savor a milkshake from the soda fountain. Nestled in downtown Hermiston, Ore., since 1927, this pharmacy has long meant more to locals than a place to fill prescriptions. For nearly a century, it’s been a meeting place—and a cornerstone of community life.

Owner Bob Mullay knows that better than anyone. He grew up in Hermiston in the 1970s and remembers tagging along with his mom on shopping trips that included stops at the pharmacy, which was owned by two of his uncles. He recalls lingering at the comic book rack, unaware that someday he’d graduate from pharmacy school at Oregon State University and return to work at the store in 1980—which he’d eventually buy in 1999. 

“Once I got to pharmacy school, I knew I wanted to own my own drug store,” says Mullay. “It was just a natural that my uncles had this store. I considered other places, but this felt like home.”

Over the years, the rise of national chains and online retail has added challenges to running Hermiston Drug, but Mullay says what keeps them doing a brisk business is rare—and hard to replicate: “We treat our customers like family,” he says. “They value personal service. That’s not so common anymore.”

Another draw remains the soda fountain—a cozy 17-seat counter where retirees gather for coffee and conversation, and families stop in for lunch or sweet treats. It’s a beacon of nostalgia, but the food keeps locals coming back. The menu is almost entirely homemade, from soups to pies. “Our cook makes almost everything from scratch,” Mullay says. “She bakes 60 to 70 pies for Thanksgiving and Christmas pre-orders—pumpkin, apple, coconut cream, you name it.”

Many of the business’s employees are long-timers, from an office manager who just turned 80 (and started before Mullay did) to pharmacists and clerks who have been there for 20-plus years. 

“The employees have been there for many years, and that’s comforting for people,” says Cindy Meyers, Vice President and Community Banker, who handles the business’s banking needs and frequently enjoys lunch there (our Hermiston branch is across the street). “You end up sitting next to someone you know or someone you don’t and enjoying the conversation. It’s a common thread for the community.”

For Mullay, the decision to return to his hometown as a young man ended up being about much more than a vocation—he met his wife in Hermiston, and now their grown children and grandkids are part of the legacy, too. “They’re getting to the point where I don’t want to miss anything,” he says. One daughter works alongside him as a pharmacy tech. As he eyes retirement, he’s hopeful that he will keep the business in the family, either with one of his kids or a longtime employee. 

Just like Hermiston Drug has been a constant for the community, Mullay says Banner has always been there for him. “When I was ready to buy the store, Banner was right there,” Mullay says. “And they’ve been there whenever we needed them. They’re everything you want your bank to be.”