Doc Harrell’s pharmacy opened in 1924 and became a legendary hangout for neighborhood teens. A fire decimated the building in the ’80s but the turret was recreated to honor the original English village architecture along that stretch of Gaston.
How did Lakewood, or any area, get going commercially? Where did the trolley cars run, and how has the shopping center evolved since those days? How have economic dips and booms affected building design and tenant mix? And how did the Abrams bypass change everything — for better and for worse?
These are just a few of the questions neighborhood resident and architect Sally Johnson will discuss during the Dallas Historical Society’s walking tour of the Lakewood Shopping Center on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 5:30-7 p.m. The tour, part of the society’s “Pour Yourself into History” series, will start during happy hour at the Cock & Bull, 6330 Gaston; Johnson hopes to wind up on the balcony of the Gingerman, which has a great view of both the old Lakewood library and the Lakewood Theater.
“So much of the character that was here, of course, is gone, but I am going to point out architectural detailing and show people what does still exist — because it does if you’re looking for it,” Johnson says.
The tour is free; drinks at the hosting establishments are the responsibility of tour-goers.
Find more information and RSVP at dallashistory.org/education/special-events.
Doc Harrell at his pharmacy counter in 1953.
See all stories for Dreams and reality: Lakewood Shopping Center
