Hartselle’s Buy-Rite Drugs celebrates 100 years of service
By Tracey Tylman For the Enquirer
Buy-Rite Drugs, a locally owned veterinary compounding pharmacy with deep roots in Hartselle, celebrated its 100th anniversary with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce on April 17.
Originally founded as Strickland Drugs in 1925 by Thomas B. Strickland in Tarrant, Ala., the pharmacy relocated to Falkville in 1949 before settling in Hartselle in 1953. It officially adopted the name Buy-Rite Drugs in 1991.
Now a third-generation business, Buy-Rite is co-owned by pharmacist Michael R. Strickland and his son, Peyton Strickland. The elder Strickland transitioned the pharmacy from human medicine to veterinary services in 2014, a decision that ultimately inspired Peyton—then a pharmacy student with plans to work in commercial pharmacy—to join the family business.
Mayor Randy Garrison, right, presents a commemorative award recognizing the pharmacy’s century of service April 17. Photo by Tracey Tylman.
“This store is special to our family,” Peyton said during the ceremony. “The day my great-grandfather opened the original store was the same day my grandfather was born. When the store moved to Hartselle, that’s when my dad met my mom. It’s truly part of our family’s story.”
Mayor Randy Garrison presented the father-son duo with a commemorative award recognizing the pharmacy’s century of service.
“We appreciate the commitment the Stricklands have made to our community,” Garrison said. “I wasn’t around when the store first opened, but I remember when it was on the corner of Main and Sparkman. And while I won’t be around for the next hundred years, I hope they will be.”
Peyton also acknowledged the pharmacy’s dedicated team. Buy-Rite employs 16 in-store staff and five traveling sales representatives, with some employees having worked at the business for more than a decade.
“In business, your greatest asset is your team,” he said.
Today, Buy-Rite operates as a veterinary compounding pharmacy serving clients in 35 states—a number expected to grow to 37 in the near future, according to Compliance and Licensing Director Brian Hamby. The pharmacy specializes in custom-made prescriptions, primarily for equine patients, and recently partnered with Valley Vet Supply to expand its reach.
Brandy Davis, of BRD Vet Rx, estimated that approximately 90 percent of the pharmacy’s focus is equine-related.
Peyton Strickland also earned the facility accreditation from the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB), a nonprofit organization that certifies pharmacies meeting rigorous federal quality standards.
“The love the Strickland family had for the pharmacy profession, especially in compounding, has only grown stronger,” according to a statement on the company’s website. “BRD continues to innovate and evolve.”
Michael Strickland recalled how the transition from human to veterinary pharmacy took less than a week. “All I had to do was let people know, and the new business model took off,” he said.
