Published April 16, 2021
By GAIL LOWE
MELROSE—When Don Putney sold Green Street Pharmacy at the end of 2017, he agreed to manage the business for a few years until the new owner could become established. Now, three years later, the current owner has sold the business to CVS.
But Putney continues to be involved in the physical removal of the pharmacy since he owns the building that once housed it.
Since the store’s closing in late March, Putney and his wife Sally have been looking forward to the many activities and opportunities ahead of them. “Unfortunately, some will have to wait for COVID-19 to end,” he said.
Putney said that like other business owners, as a pharmacist he faced many challenges, and competition from any source was not the biggest one.
“The insurance industry and, in particular, Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) are the problem,” he commented. “They are out of control and wield too much power and influence on the entire medical field and our government at all levels.”
While most people think being a pharmacy owner would provide a good living, according to Putney, it does not. Therefore, diversifying into services and products beyond just medication is necessary to live decently.
The North Reading resident was born in Melrose before the start of World War II and began his early education at the Washington School.
Putney’s father, Robert Putney, worked for Haslam’s Pharmacy, Inc., 484 Main St. when he was a high school student. Then, in 1929, the business, owned by Melrose resident Arthur Haslam, was purchased by store manager Walter Hayes. In 1956, the elder Putney bought the pharmacy. Twenty years later, Don Putney bought Haslam’s and in 1980 he purchased the building at 35 Green St. and moved the pharmacy there under the name (D/B/A) Green Street Pharmacy.
When Don Putney was young, his family moved to Wakefield and he graduated from Wakefield High School. Soon after, he attended Massachusetts College of Pharmacy in Boston.
Eventually, he met and married Sally Rogers of Melrose and lived in the city while working at Haslam’s. He also served in the military in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive, a coordinated series of North Vietnamese attacks on more than 100 cities and outposts in South Vietnam. Following his discharge, the Putneys moved to North Reading to raise their three sons. Since then, their family has grown to include three daughters-in-law and nine grandchildren.
Over the many years Don Putney spent in Melrose, he has been actively involved in many organizations, including serving on the YMCA board of directors, singing with the Polymnia Choral Society and helping the American Red Cross. He also participated in Melrose Rotary, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Chamber of Commerce and several others. He was Scoutmaster of Troop 610.
Putney and his family were members of the First Congregational Church in Melrose and now attend services at Union Congregational Church in North Reading. He continues to participate in various community activities in the town.
Putney said that the only important thing in life is interacting with people, and he will miss that.
“The greatest satisfaction in anything I do is helping people,” said Putney. “Pharmacy provided me an opportunity to do just that. The wonderful people I worked with and the customers we served made for a very rewarding life. I will miss them all.”