After 109 years of serving the community’s medicinal needs, GuidePoint Pharmacy will close its doors for good on Saturday, December 27 at noon. Michael Schwartzwald, a pharmacist himself, has owned GuidePoint Redwood Falls since 2001, in addition to 10 other locations in southern and northern Minnesota. He said the fate of Redwood’s pharmacy is a reflection of an industry-wide problem.
In December 2023, The Minnesota Star Tribune reported that Minnesota has seen the closure of more independent pharmacies than any other state. Schwartzwald attributes their demise to predatory reimbursements from insurance companies and anti-competitive tactics of pharmacy benefit managers. “Our goal has always been to keep independent pharmacies alive and well,” he said. “We’ve tried holding on as long as possible, but every year we were losing more and more money.” Schwartzwald hired a company over a year ago to find a buyer for GuidePoint Redwood Falls, but no buyer was found.
While GuidePoint Pharmacy has gone through numerous names and owners over its history, the location of the pharmacy has remained the same for more than 90 years. That said, the pharmacy’s history traces further back a couple more decades. According to a December 20, 1916 The Redwood Gazette article, Public Drug Company opened that day as a Rexall Pharmacy, owned by George Freyer and Fred Knapp. It was the third drug store in town. The pharmacy is believed to have been located in the former C.D. Thompson Building on Second Street, just west of the Armory building. The Thompson Building site is now part of Towne Square Park and the Armory is now home to Redwood Alliance Church.
In July 1925, the Gazette reported that Freyer bought out Knapp to become sole owner of Public Drug Company, which eventually became known as Freyer Rexall Store. Evidence indicates the pharmacy moved to its current location at 216 South Washington Street around 1931, but confirmation couldn’t be found.
The Gazette then reported in November 1934 that George Hanson purchased the pharmacy and changed the name to Hanson Drug Store. Hanson joined in a partnership with Kermit Nelson in April 1948. Upon Hanson’s death, Nelson took over sole ownership of the pharmacy, which became Nelson’s Pharmacy.
Nelson’s Pharmacy, date unknown. Courtesy of the Redwood Falls Public Library and the Redwood County Historical Society. Reprinted with permission.
Nelson’s Pharmacy was sold in 1973 to Bob Brix, Ron Rolloff, and Chuck Friberg, operating as Brix Drug. Rolloff served as pharmacist, joined by pharmacist Larry Leske in 1975. Leske retired in September 2024.
Brix Drug, circa 1975. Courtesy of the Redwood Falls Public Library and the Redwood County Historical Society. Reprinted with permission.
Brix Drug was sold to Guy Stillwell in 1999, becoming a franchisee of The Medicine Shoppe. Schwartzwald purchased the pharmacy in 2001, operating as The Medicine Shoppe until 2009. The pharmacy left the franchise and became GuidePoint Pharmacy at that time. Current pharmacist Michael Joldersma joined in 2016.
For generations of Redwood Falls residents, the pharmacy has been a constant presence with a loyal staff, dedicated to serving their needs with a personal touch. GuidePoint will be open Friday 9:00 AM-5:30 PM and Saturday 9:00 AM-12:00 PM to assist with final prescription pickups and pharmacy transfers before closing for good. In a letter to customers, the staff wrote: “This decision was not made lightly, and we truly appreciate the trust you have placed in us while we have served you.”