After tragedy, Long's Drug Store carried on owner's name and legacy

The recent closing of Long’s Drug Store has brought sentimental feelings for longtime customers and fans of disappearing vintage-style businesses, but it is not the first somber moment in the store’s history.

In fact, the friendly banter between employees and customers was part of a deliberate continuation and enhancement of the store after the founder’s sudden death years ago.

As the Shopper News concludes its two-part look at the Bearden store’s history, an interview with owner Hank Peck revealed that his father, the late former co-owner Jim Peck, was determined to carry on Dr. Clarence Long’s dream.

Long, who founded the store at 4604 Kingston Pike in 1956 along with John Benson, had been killed in a 1966 car accident, and Jim Peck wanted to keep the name and at least the same level of service after taking it over.

“Of course, we knew the family and just adored them and loved them,” Hank Peck said. “Dad just didn’t see a point in changing the name and he didn’t.”

According to an old News Sentinel story found online, Long, 62, had left the store after it closed on the rainy evening of May 27, 1966, and was driving to his Kingston Pike home in Farragut when his compact convertible crossed over and struck a truck driven by Jerry Jenkins. The accident occurred near Cedar Bluff Road and Kingston Pike, and he was taken to what is now UT Medical Center and died later that evening.

The father of two daughters, including Janet Testerman, the then-wife of future mayor Kyle Testerman, Long also owned three other area drug stores. They included one in the Bearden Shopping Center where Food City is, the Long-Henderson Drug Store in Suburban Plaza where Barnes & Noble and Trader Joe’s are, and the Long-Rowe Drug Store in Jefferson City. He had worked as a pharmacist at the old Ellis and Ernest drug store on Cumberland Avenue from 1927-56.

As the store continued operation after his death, the Peck family wanted to have the atmosphere be a boost to people’s well-being as much as the prescriptions and over-the-counter items did. And that made closing the store this month difficult, officials said.

“It was so hard to have to make a decision like this, but I’ve loved everything about it,” said Hank Peck, who cited the changing healthcare landscape as a major factor.

Amid the new drugs and treatment items coming along for customers were also the standard and timeless soda fountain and grill treats like hamburgers and milkshakes. And to take customers’ eyes off the made-to-order food and beverages at least briefly were the photos primarily of noted University of Tennessee athletes and coaches who were also customers or supporters of the store.

Peck said he actually took the photo idea from another business in the shopping center, a store operated by former UT athlete Fred Brown. “When you would go in, it was a men’s store, and if you would go downstairs, he had a place where he did tailor-made suits called the Squire Shop, and along the wall he had a row of pictures of football players,” he said. “I always thought that was the coolest thing. I loved it so I kind of stole his idea.”

Among those pictured at Long's were such well-known UT sports personalities as football coaches and former players Johnny Majors and Phil Fulmer, Pat Summitt, former quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Condredge Holloway, former radio announcer John Ward, and former softball pitcher Monica Abbott. He even created a Power T of select black-framed photos amidst the other ones with orange frames.

Peck said some of the photos were given to them by the people themselves, while local Vol historian and former UT athletic department staff member Tom Mattingly also helped secure some.

“All of those people have been pretty much customers in one way or another during their life, either that or their family has,” he said. “We’ve seen everybody. It’s just been like a wonderful family of people, and we’ve enjoyed the students and coaches and everybody at the university coming in and spending time with us and putting up with me.”

A follow-up call to Peck regarding what will become of the photos and even the vintage milkshake blenders and grill stools proved unsuccessful, but UT sports celebrities apparently weren’t the only ones given the royal treatment at the store.

Ann Warwick, whose family lived on nearby Noelton Drive for a period, was a frequent customer. “It was really a fun place to go and look around and eat and have fun,” she said. “Everyone there had a nice relationship with the people. All of us felt comfortable going in there. I can’t say enough wonderful things about them.”

While giving prescriptions to help people, the store also apparently provided a healthy atmosphere for the Bearden community and beyond for close to 68 years.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: After tragedy, Long's Drugs in Knoxville carried on owner's legacy