Category:Walter's Pharmacy, Allentown, Pennsylvania

Walter's Pharmacy was a long-time independent pharmacy. It opened in November 1935 at 1301 Hamilton Street (13th and Hamilton), being founded by Donald L Walter. Born in Reading, Donald Walter was a 1929 graduate of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science. Before starting his own business, he was a manager of Young's Drug Store at 921 Hamilton street. In 1935 he purchased the former King's Drug Store at the 13th and Hamilton location. The property had been both a drug store as well as a grocery store that dated back to the early 1900s. When Walter's pharmacy opened, the store employed just two people.

The pharmacy's main business was to fill medical prescriptions, however it also served as a corner convince store at the time. It sold soft drinks, candy, various cosmetics, a wide variety of comic books and sundries. In November 1961, a second location was opened at the new Liberty Square Medical Center at 501 North 17th Street (17th and Liberty) where many physicians' offices were located and centralized.

In June 1977, Walter retired and the the store was taken over by Ronald L. Stocker, a long-time employee. Stocker retained the business name and subsequently moved the pharmacy to the Liberty Square location. The 17th and Liberty location provided easier customer access and additional parking.

In February 1986. With the opening of the larger Allentown Medical Center the pharmacy relocated to a more modern facility in the center at 401 North 17th Streets (17th and Gordon Streets).

When Stocker retired in 2005, Howard Anthony bought the pharmacy and added many additional services and products, such as medical devices. Anthony retired in August 2020 and closed the business after 85 years of service to the people of Allentown. When interviewed, Anthony stated that a major reason for closing the business was the competition with large chain pharmacies, and it was very difficult to compete with them. Ironically, the prescriptions being handled at the time were transferred to a CVS Pharmacy.

Donald L Walter passed in January 1990 at age 81.