Our History – Meeting Community Needs for Over Six Decades
Three pharmacist generations ago, a pleasant gentleman by the name of Mr. Fred Ross opened a pharmacy in Angus with his wife Alvena. The year was 1958. Those were the days when it took a while to decipher the prescription, and Mr. Ross would actually make it – grinding, mixing and diluting, eventually preparing a tonic, an ointment, or oral capsule for just that patient. During this era, the pharmacy sold everything from hammers to veterinarian supplies.
Mr. Ross grew with Angus, and when the Angus Plaza was built in 1963, he expanded and moved into the new location. Pharmacists Bryn and Randy Styles joined Mr. Ross in 1980 and became the new owners in 1983. More growth ensued and the Styles doubled the size of the pharmacy in 1985.
A young pharmacy grad by the name of Christine Weber joined Angus Borden Guardian Drugs as a staff pharmacist in 1989. She liked working there so much, she told her husband to quit his job and join her in Angus. Christine and Ward Charlebois teamed up and became involved with ownership in 1992. Ward was legendary for his kind demeanour and ability to chat with his patients.
After one infamous Angus Plaza flood too many, in 2008 construction was completed at 6 River Drive, the current home of Angus Borden Guardian Pharmacy and the attached Essa Family Medical Clinic. The new, spacious building allowed for greater accessibility, private counselling areas and a dispensary designed to better serve the ever-growing customer base.
The current owners, David and Natalie McLeish, purchased the pharmacy in 2009 and have been continuing the legacy of community involvement and patient care that Angus Guardian Pharmacy has become known for. Natalie and David learned their pharmacy skills at McMaster University Medical Centre and the Mayo Clinic before returning to the area where Natalie grew up.
In 2011, 2014, and again in 2018, Angus Borden Guardian Pharmacy was honoured to receive Nottawasaga Futures South Simcoe Small Business Quality Award. In 2013, our pharmacy received the highest of all praise amongst local businesses, winning the overall Business Excellence Award for South Simcoe!
Four generations of family pharmacy owners at Angus Guardian and we are still going strong. This is largely due to the tremendous support of Angus families, neighbouring communities and the valuable staff that have contributed to the success of the store over the years.
Our pharmacists are available for one-on-one consultation and the fees are typically covered by insurance benefit plans. Please contact us for further details. We’re available 7 days a week.
