Gessler’s

In a time where everything seems to be turning into big-​box stores… we are lucky enough to still have places like Gessler’s serving the Wichita community.
As a boy Gessler’s was in Normandy Center and was a shopping destination, pharmacy, and watch repair. They had house accounts on rolodecks and I would ride my bike there to buy Russel Stover candies or pick up my grandmother’s prescriptions. Now, the drugstore occupies this space while the «Cards & Gifts» are still on Central (though down the road a little from their previous location). However, they have maintained that small town atmosphere while evolving with the needs of the community and staying modern (pharmaceutical speaking).
I left Wichita for over a decade and got to come back and experience things with new eyes. Finding Gessler’s was like re-​finding a hidden treasure. Their shelves are stocked with medical supplies, cough syrups, and candies. The watch repair is still there though his hours seem to dwindle each year as the watch repair man grows older. Then there are the people of Gessler’s…and this is what makes it 5 stars. Its the «Cheers» of drugstores. Everyone knows my name. I can’t help but get into conversations with other patrons and the pharmacists while there, because that is the culture of this place. My wife is from a town of 5,000 people and EVERY business there is like this. Its is lovely. It is human connection. It is what we yearn for.
Just like Dillon’s, Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, or whatever place you go to… they have all the same prescriptions and do fast turnaround. The difference is while you wait you might have a good time and you’ll be tended to by people that genuinely care about you. You also get a pharmacist that ensures you have the right product, know how to use it, and can answer questions the doctor may have left out (which doctors often do). They work fast but are not rushed. This is how business should be. They have a drive-​through for convenience, they still carry Russel Stover chocolates like when I was young, and everyone (young and old) calls me by my first name when I walk in the door.