Sitting at the lunch counter of Wheeler Pharmacy in Lexington in January 2008 sure has a familiar feel to it. Maybe it's because people have sat on its stools and in its booths munching bacon and eggs, sipping coffee, chatting about everything and nothing, since January 15, 1958. A banner and large cake marked the store's 50th anniversary week, but nothing else changed. The old drug store still fed folks breakfast or lunch and promptly filled prescriptions. It continues to be owned and operated by the Wheeler family. Some things never change.
This time warp isn't considered strange in the Romany Road shopping district. Plopped down in the middle of a leafy residential neighborhood in Chevy Chase, not connected by any major streets, this retail area appears healthy and thriving. Stuck in the past, but also looking to the future.
So you can get your bearings, this part of Romany Road is a few blocks from some larger landmarks like the Cathedral of Christ the King, Morton Middle and Cassidy Elementary Schools, and is less than a mile from UK's campus. On this one-block-long strip, with Cooper Drive at one end and Providence Lane at the other, 21 businesses flourish far from the crowds and traffic congestion of Fayette Mall and Hamburg Pavilion.
Convenience and loyalty to certain businesses make customers return, say shop owners. Romany Road is a blend of old and new. There's a small-scale Kroger store for an anchor but curiously, this single block also boasts two dry cleaners, two banks (a third bank has just an ATM on the sidewalk), two places to get your hair cut or styled and several restaurants. Stop for ice cream or pie, have a veterinarian look over your pet or get him groomed, order shades for your home or buy clothes and supplies for your next outdoor adventure. There's also a doctor, dentist and psychologist, if you need one, plus a CPA. Yet it seems odd that this tiny, isolated retail district, surrounded by well-kept 1940's-'50's homes, even exists.
"It's a little town within itself," says Terry Diamond who, with his brother Tony, own an old-fashioned barber shop called Papa Diamond's Moustache. The name pays tribute to their dad, Bill, who bought the shop in 1973 and kept it in the family. Hair has been cut continuously at this spot since 1957. "You have a grocery, places to eat, everything you need right here," Diamond emphasized.
Well, maybe not "everything." Endless selection isn't why you shop here. There are no chain discount stores or big-box retailers, and that's fine with residents. It's the small-town atmosphere that acts as a magnet. "I go into Wheeler Pharmacy two or three times a week. It reminds me of my growing-up days in Eastern Kentucky," says Oscar Combs, well-known local sportswriter and broadcaster, who lives a couple of blocks away. "It feels like an extension of your house. It's not quite like your own kitchen, but it's the next closest thing."
Dr. Catherine Fowler has a dentistry practice in a former florist shop. "It's my lifestyle, where I spend most of my working life. I know everyone on the street. I love the feel of this neighborhood." Fowler also enjoys local history. She once had her practice above the old Saratoga Restaurant in Chevy Chase. When the building was torn down she rescued several huge stained-glass windows and had them installed as partisans in her Romany office.
In 1953, this area of Romany Road was empty except for a few houses and apartment buildings nearby, according to the Polk City Directory for Lexington. But that year the first business appeared-F.D. Root Grocery, which offered charge accounts and delivery service. A year later, Ott's Pan-Am filling station starting pumping gas, checking oil and wiping windshields across the street. It had a couple of service bays and mechanics to repair your car. As the 1950's drifted by, more small shops opened their doors and soon the remaining lots were filled with the kind of basic service businesses neighbors liked.
Over at the pharmacy, Buddy Wheeler, the original owner, is mostly retired but drops in frequently. His children Stuart and Claire manage the business. "Romany Road is an unusual place," said Buddy. "It grew up because of the need for service and convenience. In the early 1950's, Romany was considered to be way out on the edge of town. Most people shopped downtown where all the department stores were. But this neighborhood wanted its own services." Today, it's not uncommon for people to stand in rain or snow or sit in their cars outside of Wheelers waiting for the doors to open so they can get a cup of coffee. Some employees spent 10 or 12 years working there.
Several other businesses have operated for decades on Romany, but when any store closes, the space is usually taken quickly. The nearby apartment buildings are usually rented out too, said Wheeler. "This neighborhood is real stable. The property values are high." Diamond agrees with that view. "I feel confident that we'll be here as long as the neighborhood will keep us." And for more than half a century, the neighborhood has faithfully done just that.