Activities held to commemorate anniversaries.
By:Eve Collins
FLORENCE "It seems like the more chains go up, the busier we get," said Carolann Boyd, whose husband owns Boyd’s Pharmacy in Florence. The store is celebrating its 80th anniversary this week.
Lardner Clark Boyd III, known as Clark or Doc to customers, has been running the Florence location of Boyd’s since 1979. There also are locations in Bordentown City, Pemberton, in Homestead in Mansfield Township, and until recently, in Ringoes.
The Bordentown City and Florence stores are holding activities this week to celebrate the anniversary. In addition to several sales, the stores held a raffle Wednesday and the cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants will be at the Bordentown City location to meet children on Friday and Saturday.
The business has been in the family since 1923. Mr. Boyd is the third generation in his family to be a pharmacist. His grandfather started the business with a store on Front Street in Florence on Feb. 19, 1923.
Mr. Boyd senior’s wife, Fredericka, owned a clothing store down the street from the pharmacy called the Lamp Post.
The couple had twins, Lardner Clark Jr., known as Pop, and Fredericka, known to the family as Aunt Teddy.
Once the twins grew up, Pop started pharmacy school, but his education was interrupted by World War II. When the war ended, Pop went back to the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia to his finish education.
By that time, the senior Mr. Boyd had fallen ill, so Pop went to school during the day, and would fill prescriptions at night. He had no time to study, but had a photographic memory.
"If it wasn’t for Pop, none of us would be here," said Carolann Boyd, who described her father-in-law as an "innovative man."
Pop eventually graduated and soon married Constance Patricia McLoughlin of Bordentown City, whom he knew from high school. The senior Mr. Boyd died soon after their marriage.
The new Mrs. Boyd became a registered nurse, but once Mr. Boyd III was born, she quit her full-time job and started working for the pharmacy as the bookkeeper.
The couple began running the pharmacy together in 1949. In 1953, they moved the store from Front Street to Broad Street in Florence.
The senior Fredericka Boyd then moved her clothing store to the space adjoining the new location of the pharmacy. She died soon after and her daughter, Aunt Teddy, took over clothing store until her retirement in 1970.
Pop renovated the space occupied by the clothing store in 1972, expanding the store into an apothecary and discount store for over-the-counter drugs.
In 1975 Pop bought and converted Meltz’s pharmacy and liquor store, and Mr. Boyd III became the manager after completing his education. The store was moved to Farnsworth Avenue in Bordentown City in 1984.
With the opening of the Pemberton store in 1979, the Boyds took on Mr. Boyd III, Rick Klinge and Stephen Kloss as full partners. The Florence and Bordentown City locations were kept in the ownership of the family.
Mr. Boyd III is a member of the Society of Burlington County Pharmacists and was president of the organization in 1984. He was named pharmacist of the year in 1985.
In 1988, they opened the Mansfield store in Homestead and added Edward Donald Tootell, Clinton Boyd (Mr. Boyd III’s younger brother), and Thomas Greco as full partners.
Pop opened a combined pharmacy and deli in Ringoes in 1987, but the location closed in September 2002 due to competition from other stores.
"It’s hard to have an individual pharmacy with all the chains around," said Carol Boyd.
In 1991 Pop had a stroke, and Constance Boyd fell ill. She died in September of 1995, and Pop died in May of 1996.
The Boyd family has employed many people throughout the years. One employee, Sarah Stadalman, has been the manager for the Florence store for 40 years. She will be 76 in June and was Mr. Boyd III’s den mother when he was a Cub Scout.
Mrs. Stadalman said she worked for Pop first.
"There’s nothing that Mr. Boyd would not say no to (for customers)," she said.
The family often employs high school students, and oftentimes they see past employees as customers unless they move away, Mrs. Stadalman said.
"We are a family-oriented business," said Carolann Boyd, who said the family’s home phone number is on the front door of the Florence store in case of emergencies. "Everybody in town knows how to get a hold of us."
Carolann Boyd explained that her husband will get up-close and personal with the customers and will go the whole nine yards to take care of people. For example, she said, although the Florence store was closed on Monday because of the weather, Mr. Boyd went in three times to fill prescriptions for people.
"We always do that in emergencies," said Mr. Boyd.
L. Clark Boyd III and Carol were married on May 24, 1980. Mrs. Boyd is originally from Burlington Township. The two met at the pharmacy.
The couple have four children. Amy Cardis, whose husband, Mark, was the manager of the Bordentown store; and James Skeenes, 29, a mechanic, are from Mrs. Boyd’s previous marriage. The two younger children are Larder Clark IV, 21, who is a student at Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pa., majoring in pre med; and Caron, 20, who is on hiatus from Burlington County College and is spending time in California.
As for retirement, Carolann Boyd says they probably still have another 20 years.
"At least another 20," said Mr. Boyd. "I’m not one of those people who look forward to retirement. I enjoy what I’m doing," he said.

