Auburn names pharmacy school for harco drug founder harrison

Drug Store News, Nov 19, 2001

AUBURN, Ala. -- Auburn University has renamed its School of Pharmacy in honor of James I. Harrison Sr., a 1925 graduate and scion of the family that founded and operated Harco Drug throughout its 56-year history.

Renaming the school is in recognition of the Harrison family's support for the school's pharmacy program, according to a statement from Auburn, "including a recent significant gift to the school from the Harrison Family Foundation." The school will now be known as the Auburn University James I. Harrison School of Pharmacy.

Harrison and his son, James Harrison Jr., guided Northport, Ala.-based Harco from a single drug store in Tuscaloosa, in the early days of World War II into a respected position as one of the Southeast's largest and best-run regional drug chains. At its peak in the mid-1990s, Harco operated more than 150 stores in Alabama, Florida and Mississippi. Harco merged with Rite Aid in 1997.

On a related front, a Spokeswoman for James Harrison Jr. said the site of the family's original store in Tuscaloosa, near the University of Alabama, has been repurchased by the family and is being converted to an art gallery and shop. Leading the project is James Harrison III, Harco's former president of sales and marketing and grandson of the founder.