By: Kris Harrell

The Crenshaw County Chamber of Commerce highlighted Foster Drug Co. for their July Business Spotlight on July16. 

The pharmacy in Luverne is owned and operated by Alan Carpenter and his family with the goal to provide relationship-based services in the community. 

“We just try to help the community,” Carpenter said. “Our main goal is service, we’re service oriented. It’s about relationships, knowing the people and trying to take care of them, that’s why we’ve built our business.” 

Friends and family within the community gathered at Foster Drug, taking photos and serving refreshments as they celebrated the spotlight from the chamber of commerce. 

The pharmacy is the second business spotlight from the chamber of commerce, with the first business being the Pepsi Bottling Company in June. 

“I was very honored that we were chosen for this so early,” Carpenter said. “There are a lot of great people with great businesses and it was just an honor that they would select us.”

Foster Drug has been in business for 128 years, family owned and operated for four generations, with four generations of pharmacists. 

One of these pharmacists, Clement Carpenter, is the third generation for the family business, and was recently awarded for being the longest practicing pharmacist from the American Pharmacy Cooperative Inc. (APCI)

“It was an honor to reminisce, and remember the years that have gone by,” Clement Carpenter said. “With everybody that was in business when I came here, now there are none left.

The Carpenters hope to continue to serving Crenshaw county, and the people within it. 

“Anytime you’re recognized, it’s humbling and it comes with responsibility,” Alan Carpenter said. “It’s not about us, it’s about the people that have supported us for 128 years. Without their support, I mean, we wouldn’t have been able to be here for four generations.”