Every Saturday an elderly gentleman takes his grandchildren to Jolley's Corner Pharmacy, 902 E. 900 South, so they can pick out some "penny" candy.
Although "penny" candy costs a lot more than a penny these days, customers have remained loyal to the Jolley family over the years, and the pharmacy business has provided a good living for Joel Jolley and his sons.But many good things change, and the Jolley family will soon vacate its 900 South location and move into space at 1310 S. 1700 East, next to a video store it opened in 1992. The Jolleys will continue operating their other pharmacies at 1702 S. 1100 East and 9720 S. 1300 East in Sandy.
Joel is confident that loyal customers will follow the pharmacy to its new location.
The legacy of the Jolley pharmacies begins with Joel in Tropic, Garfield County, where he was president of the high school student body and graduated with 16 others. He received a scholarship to Dixie College, where he enrolled in 1941, just before the start of World War II.
In the spring of 1942, Joel's brother persuaded him to go to San Francisco to join the U.S. Coast Guard, but it took Joel a while to make the 129-pound minimum weight. After attending boot camp, he was about to be shipped out but got pneumonia and worked in the commissary instead.
Joel was scheduled to go to Japan in 1945 after the war ended to build long-range navigational systems, but the Coast Guard changed its mind and sent him to Guam instead. He was discharged from the Coast Guard in 1946, and his brother suggested he go to mortuary school.
Back in Salt Lake City, Joel went to Larkin Mortuary, but someone there suggested he attend pharmacy school, so he enrolled at Idaho State University in Pocatello. One instructor transferred to the University of Utah, and Joel followed him. Joel graduated from the U.'s College of Pharmacy in 1950 - the college's first graduating class.
After teaching some basic pharmacology classes, Joel enrolled in the medical school at the University of Washington but returned to Salt Lake City a short time later and looked for a job. Pharmacy owner Charlie King hired Joel, and eventually he gained more responsibility, including buying drugs for the pharmacy.
In 1952, the two men heard that the Walgreen Drug Store at 902 E. 900 South was going to close, and King suggested that he and Joel go into business together. King mortgaged his home to raise the money for the purchase, and Joel was going to pay back his part by operating the pharmacy at the 900 South location.
In June 1954, with a Rexall Drug Co. affiliation, King Jolley Rexall Drug opened with one of Rexall's famous one-cent sales. Joel sold vitamins, magazines, hobbyist models, ice cream, small appliances, cameras, cosmetics, cigarettes and cigars in his 2,400-square-foot store.
Joel gradually paid King back his share of the mortgage money and, in 1957, decided to close the pharmacy on Sundays. King agreed, and despite being open only six days per week, the pharmacy's sales continued to rise. In 1967 Joel paid off his portion of the store, incorporated and became Jolley Rexall Drug.
He put in a bookstore, got rid of tobacco products and made space for a post office, which was supposed to create more business for the pharmacy but didn't. Joel and his sons changed with the times, and today they have a place in their pharmacy where
they prepare compound drugs. They also sell gifts.
Son Mardy joined the Utah National Guard in 1968, during the Vietnam War, and signed up for a pharmacy training course. He became a registered Army pharmacist. He later attended the University of Utah, served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and received a degree from the U. in 1975 in organizational communications.
After graduation Mardy needed a job, so he started at the pharmacy. When he was younger, he'd washed bottles for the family business. Today, Mardy is involved in the business side of the pharmacy.
Son Dean is a 1980 U. College of Pharmacy graduate. He started at the pharmacy after graduation and is a registered pharmacist.
Son Bryce went on a mission and in 1983 graduated from the U. with a degree in journalism and mass communications. When he became bored with the family business, he moved to California to work in advertising.
At Joel's urging, he returned to Salt Lake City in 1985. Since then he's added a video section in the pharmacy and closed the book section. He also is a Salt Lake City councilman.
Joel said that in 1990 his landlord told him the rent would increase and someone else wanted the building. In 1992 the Jolleys opened Top Hat Video at 1310 S. 1700 East with some partners. The video portion of the pharmacy was relocated.
Bryce coordinates the video store operation among the various owners.
The Jolleys have purchased several independent pharmacies, including the Sandy location, which son Kennion manages. He started with the family business three years ago after receiving a master's degree from Brigham Young University.
At Jolley's Pharmacy, there are seven Jolleys working and 39 non-Jolleys. Three of Joel's daughters, Marla Kay Jensen, DeAnn Sadleir and Jody Baird, aren't involved in the business.
At 73, Joel drops by the pharmacy occasionally to chat with his sons. Maybe he should gather up his grandchildren and treat them to some "penny" candy, as one of his customers does.