Our Story

Now in our third generation of family ownership the journey started when George Draffin Sr. arrived in Lethbridge in 1929 after graduating from the University of Saskatchewan and began working with Sydney Jackson at Jackson’s Drugstore. The early years were tough ones as he arrived shortly after the stock market crashed and the Great Depression began. A strong work ethic and a commitment to staff and customers allowed the store to succeed. George purchased the store from Sydney in 1946 and renamed it Draffin’s Drugstore. George’s son Rodney began working for his father in 1953 as a 13 year old and was impressed enough over the years to attend the University of Alberta, School of Pharmacy, where he graduated in 1962. Rodney along with his father opened a second location located in the Haig Medical Clinic in 1966 and for a time had a third location on 13th Street North. Rod and his wife Martha incorporated the business in 1970 and in 1975 moved the business across the street to the newly built Lethbridge Centre Mall. George practiced pharmacy until 1975 and at that point passed the torch to his son. The pharmacy has always been a family affair with all three of Rod and Martha’s daughters Susan, Lisa, and Cara working at both locations. In 1990, Cara joined Rod as his front store manager. The store was fully renovated to create an atmosphere where customers could come and linger and get away from the stresses of their lives. Cara started the ownership partnership with Rod and Martha in the mid 1990’s. In 2008 Cara completed the purchase of the store and in November of 2009 moved the store out of the mall, across the street, just down from the original location and into the original Kresge’s Department Store Building, a local historical site, which was ironically built in 1929 the same year George arrived in Lethbridge. The company, in a sense has come full circle and as such still prides itself on a strong family influence. Our commitment is to customers and staff, continuing the  solid work ethic instilled by George Draffin and carried on by Rod and Martha Draffin. The present generation of family ownership, coupled with the PHARMASAVE partnership program has allowed us to continue to remain a viable business within Lethbridge.

Draffin’s Pharmasave – located in two locations downtown Lethbridge, Alberta. Come visit us and “Live well with Pharmasave”.