SEYMOUR – Schneck Medical Center announced Wednesday that it has reached an agreement to acquire FamilyDrug, a staple of Jackson County’s independent healthcare landscape for nearly nine decades. The acquisition includes Family Drug’s two primary locations in Brownstown and Seymour.
The move is part of a broader strategy by Schneck to defend the presence of locally owned, independent healthcare services against the expansion of national pharmacy chains.
Hospital leadership emphasized that the change in ownership will not disrupt the daily routines of current customers. According to a news release from the hospital:
Continuous Operations: Prescriptions, refills, and all standard pharmacy operations will continue without interruption.
Existing Relationships: Schneck will maintain current partnerships with Family Drug’s vendors and community partners.
Service Hours: Both locations are expected to maintain their current hours of operation.
Dr. Eric Fish
“This acquisition reflects Schneck’s mission to provide accessible, high-quality care close to home,” said Dr. Eric Fish, President and CEO of Schneck Medical Center. “We are honored to continue Family Drug’s tradition of service while expanding access to care through an independent, locally owned health system.”
Roots Dating Back to 1937
The acquisition marks the end of an era for the Butt family, who have owned and operated the business for three generations.
The pharmacy’s history traces back to 1937, when W.R. ‘Red’ Butt purchased Brock’s Pharmacy in Ewing (now part of Brownstown) and reopened it as Twin Town Drug. Over the decades, the business grew under the leadership of Red’s children, Sally Banks and Jim Butt, eventually merging two locations into the current Family Drug at 810 W. Commerce St. in December 1991.
W.R. ‘Red’ Butt
The Seymour location, situated at 202 East Tipton Street opened more recently in December 2018 to fill a void left by the closure of other independent pharmacies in the city.
By bringing the pharmacies under the Schneck umbrella, the hospital aims to integrate pharmaceutical care more closely with its primary and specialty medical services. Unlike large retail chains, Schneck is governed by a local board, allowing it to prioritize community-specific needs over national corporate mandates.
The acquisition reinforces Schneck’s presence in Jackson County, where it already operates a wide range of services, including emergency medicine, cancer care, and primary care clinics in both Seymour and Brownstown.
