Hook's Drug Store Museum

07/28/2023

After weeks of intense prep, the Fair is nearly here. Getting the Hook’s Museum and Soda Fountain ready for the Fair each year is a huge lift, but always great to see everyone coming in to see the displays, interact with our docents,,and of course buy lots of ice cream and candy!

We participated again this year in the Fair’s special promotion “Taste of the Fair” with a signature product “Vanilla Dream Coffee with Ice Cream”

Based on the runaway success last year of our Mocha Coffee and Ice Cream, turning to Vanilla this year was a natural!

We were represented at the “Taste of the Fair” media event today by our two excellent Managers, Amanda, and Ammar!

Everyone who tried the samples we provided said it was delicious!

We open tomorrow for the first day at 9:00am. The heat will be terrible, but, our air conditioning is really cool!

12/14/2022

This December 17th, 2022, has been proclaimed by Mayor Joe Hogsett as “Hook’s Drugstore Day” in Indianapolis, in honor of the 142nd Birthday of John Hook!

As part of the recognition and celebration of recently placing a Historical Marker at the site of The first Hook’s Store at 1101 S. East St, the Mayor has issued this proclamation.

Many thanks to David Steele (now a Hook’s Drugstore Museum Board Member) who worked in partnership with the Bates-Hendricks Neighborhood Association for well over a year to complete all of the research, work, and applications required to secure the Marker for the site. In tandem with work on the Marker, David also made application for this special Mayoral Proclamation that has just been published.

The Marker dedication ceremony and celebration earlier this year drew over 100 attendees! Because of David’s research, and documentation on the Marker, people are reminded that Hook’s was not only an amazing story of business success, but also a community leader in social reform. The Marker, and this Mayor’s Proclamation highlight Hook’s efforts in desegregating lunch counters beginning in 1947, hiring minorities into management, and providing pharmacists with drug abuse prevention training.

This Proclamation also highlights the Hook’s Drugstore Museum, and its continued operation at the Fairgrounds as a long lasting benefit of Hook’s contributions to the Community.

10/20/2022

Hook’s Drug Store Indiana Historical Marker Dedication

When: Friday, October 21 at 5:30 pm

Where: 1101 S. East Street, Indianapolis 46225

Details:

Park in Immanuel United Church of Christ Parking Lot (402 Prospect Street – NW corner of Prospect + East Street)
We will congregate in the church parking lot, and have remarks at 5:30 pm.
Indiana Historical Bureau – Casey Pfeiffer, Historical Marker Program Director
Bates-Hendricks Neighborhood – President James Bulow
David Steele, marker sponsor and historian
Attendees will walk across the street at 5:45 pm for the unveiling of the new Indiana Historical Marker
Note: the physical marker area is very small and right on East Street (noise/busy) so this is whey we are having the brief remarks in the church parking lot across the street.
Attendees are invited to socialize after the unveiling at 1718 House Bar
1718 S. East Street (1/2 mile just south of the marker site
Food + drinks are out-of-pocket – credit cards accepted
https://www.1718hb.com
We look forward to seeing you there!

10/16/2022

You are invited to a Special Hook's Museum Open House Tuesday October 18th, 6:30 to 7:30PM to learn about volunteer opportunities in 2023! Doors open at 6:15PM

The iconic Hook's Museum has been open since 1966, and welcomed well over three million visitors.

The Museum is open to the public for the 18 day annual Indiana
Fair, as well as 2-3 other large events on the Fairgrounds.

Activities at the Museum go on year round, including care and maintenance of the collections, social media, website updates, planning and preparations for our openings, and much more.

Medical or Pharmacy experience is NOT required for our volunteer team!

From the time doors open at 6:15PM, until 7PM, there will be time to tour the Museum, see artifacts up close, and talk informally with our team, .

There will be a brief presentation at 7:00PM, followed by questions and answers starting at 7:15PM, with dismissal at 7:30.

Directions:
Enter the Fairgrounds at the Main Gate on 38th St, proceed straight through the gate, the Museum is about 500 ft inside the gate, on the left side. Parking is available on the street in front of the Museum, or in the rear if desired. Please enter the Museum through the front doors.

There are no other events scheduled on the Fairgrounds, and the Gates to drive straight in should be open. if however those gates are closed, please proceed down the driveway immediately left, that goes down the side of the Expo Hall, then past the ticket booths. At the first opportunity, turn right, and you will be able to circle back to the Museum across the parking lot, approaching from the rear.

If questions or issues on Tuesday, please feel free to contact me at 317-506-8501

Best regards!

Bob Hunt
Hook's Museum Board of Directors

10/06/2022

Super excited to remind everyone that Hook's Drug Store Museum and Soda Fountain will be open this weekend, Oct 7-9, from 11am-4:30pm. Admission to the museum is free, however the State Fair does charge a $10/vehicle parking cost during events.

We are opening for the 2022 CanAm Flyball Dog Tournament happening in the West Pavilion this weekend. Some free parking is available a short distance away outside the fairgrounds.

09/29/2022

Hook's Drug Store Museum and Soda Fountain will be open Oct. 7-9, 2022, for the NAFA CanAm Flyball Classic. Our open hours for those dates are 11am - 4:30pm.

Stop by to see us at Hook's, and catch some Flyball dog races directly across from our building (West Pavilion), at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. http://www.nafacanam.com/location.html

Parking on the fairgrounds is $10/vehicle. Admission to Hooks is free.

*Iced Mocha Coffee Float pictured, available for purchase at our soda fountain along with many other ice cream and soda treats.

*Hook's has no plans to open again for the remainder of 2022. Stop by for an Old Fashioned Ice Cream Soda while you can.

09/18/2022

Excited to Share that the Hook’s Drugstore Historic Marker David Steele worked on researching and coordinating with the State of Indiana on behalf of the Bates -Hendricks Neighborhood have been completed and installed!! The site is 1101 S. East Street, where John Hook opened his first drugstore in 1900. The original building was razed during widening of S. East Street many years ago.

David spent many hours carefully documenting source material for every word on the markers. Thanks to his research, David was able to highlight some lessor known but very important history about the early leadership of Hook’s in regard to desegregating their lunch counters following WWII.

The Bates - Hendricks Neighborhood is tentatively planning a celebration and “unveiling” party for October 21st, at, or very near the marker site. Please hold this date on your calendar to attend if you like! More details will be shared as they are available!

07/19/2022

Hook's Drugstore Museum and Soda Fountain has short term employment opportunities during the Fair!

So much fun, its almost like being...... At the Fair!

The Hook's Museum is a 501c3 charitable organization dedicated to maintaining and promoting a cherished Hoosier tradition since 1966

07/06/2022

The 2022 Indiana State Fair is right around the corner. July 29-Aug. 21, this year. Closed Monday and Tuesdays.

As one of the few vendors on the fairgrounds to offer coffee on our menu, Hook's is excited to participate in the 2022 Taste of the State Fair with our new featured item, the Iced Mocha Coffee Float. Our other soda fountain menu items are still available too.

We look forward to your visit.

07/06/2022

02/08/2022

if you missed the recent broadcast / podcast on Hoosier History Live about the history of Hook's and Haag's Drugstores, click this link to listen: https://hoosierhistorylive.org/.../2022-01-22-Hooks-Haags...
Host Nelson Price welcomes guest David Steele, Board Member of Hook's Drugstore Museum who has done recent research on Hook's history to support the new Historic Marker at the site of the original Hook's Drugstore, at 1101 South East St. Call-in guests on the show includes Hook Drug Inc. retiree Mark A. Varnau!

01/21/2022

Listen to ‘Hook’s and Haag: drug stores once iconic in Indiana’ live on WICR 88.7 fm Sat. Jan. 22 noon to one ET or stream at www.hoosierhistorylive.org. Hook’s and Haag Drug were the primary drug stores in Indianapolis for much of the 1900’s. Our guest is David Steele. WICR Society of Indiana Pioneers Hook's Drug Store Museum Bates-Hendricks Terri Gorney Lehman

01/10/2022

History of Hook’s and Haag’s Drugstores will be discussed on upcoming Hoosier History Live radio program this coming January 22nd!

Please mark your calendar to tune into “Hoosier History Live”, the radio show hosted by Nelson Price, on WICR-FM (88.7) on Saturday Jan. 22 when he will be focusing on Hook’s and Haag’s drug stores history. They are normally live for one hour, at 12 noon on Saturdays. Each week they focus on different aspects of Hoosier History.

The last 20 minutes of the broadcast are open to call-in questions, or comments.

Hope you can join in to listen!

10/09/2021

https://unitedstateofindiana.com/products/hooks-soda-fountain-tee?_pos=1&_sid=f5c00a935&_ss=r&variant=40419623076005

Hook's Soda Fountain t-shirts are available from the United State of Indiana t-shirt Company. Hook's Drug Store Museum will receive 15% of all Hook's t-shirt sales. These would make a great Christmas Gift for anyone who remembers Hook's Drug Store or loves our museum! Buy Yours Now!

08/21/2021

Only today and tomorrow left of the 2021 Indiana State Fair! Make your final purchases now and head to the register at Hooks Drug Store Museum and Soda Fountain.

Hooks is open 9am-9pm

Iced coffee floats, root beer floats and old-fashioned candy sales are hot and stock is going quick!

08/18/2021

Our runaway best selling ice cream soda flavor this year! Fresh brewed iced coffee, with any flavor syrup you might like (chocolate, vanilla, or cherry are popular choices). We still do all the traditional flavors as well. 5 more days of the 2021 State Fair, ending Sunday, August 22nd!

08/15/2021

Over 3 million people have visited since we first opened in 1966! One of the longest running and top drugstore museums worldwide. Come out during the Fair to see our marvelous collection and enjoy wonderful old time soda fountain and candy treats!

08/15/2021

It’s a beautiful cool Sunday morning at the Fair, and the Museum is open and ready to go! Record day yesterday, expecting another busy day as people take advantage of near perfect weather. The Fair will be closed Monday and Tuesday, then open for for our final week. Come on out!

08/15/2021

The Hook’s Museum is very fortunate to have this rare Eli Lilly cabinet. Lilly only offered this cabinet for a few years, in the late 1880’s, as a premium to any pharmacy that ordered at least $50 of product. The cabinet is even filled with a selection of antique Lilly products.

08/13/2021

Made of paper mache, sculptures like this were designed for decorative advertising to be used in drug stores.

Come visit us during the Indiana State Fair until August 22, to see in person.

*Closed Monday and Tuesday

08/12/2021

This is where it all started, when John Hook opened his original store at 1101 S. East St., in Indianapolis at the turn of the twentieth Century. The building was torn down years ago, but, the interior cabinets survive, and today are installed in the candy and gift area of the Hook’s Drugstore Museum!

08/08/2021

Large advertising sculptures for old patent medicines. The elephant is advertising Hamlins Wizard Oil. Hamlin was one of the old-time Medicine Show sellers, starting with horse and wagon, and holding night time entertainment shows to hawk his products from town to town. He even famously employed a young James Whitcomb Riley for a couple of seasons in the 1870’s. Before anyone knew of his poetry, he sang, played instruments, drew caricatures for people, and told stories. All part of Greenfield Indiana’s own Riley honing his craft to eventually become the most popular poet in America in the 19th Century.

08/07/2021

Watching these guys work making ice cream treats and phosphates is amazing! Our coffee float a huge seller this year!

08/07/2021

What’s your favorite memory of visiting the Hook’s Drugstore Museum and Soda Fountain?

My favorite part of volunteering every year is hearing people tell wonderful stories about coming to the Fair and visiting as a child, then later bringing their kids, and eventually their grandchildren!

08/07/2021

Check out this artifact at the Hook’s Drugstore Museum! Zeno gum company originally made all the Wrigley branded gums for William Wrigley, when he first got started in the gum business (as a giveaway for his baking powder products in 1892). Zeno, not Wrigley was the company that invented the “Juicy Fruit” and “Spearmint” flavors that are Wrigley mainstays to the current day. Zeno also was also the first company to figure out machines that could automatically wrap and package individual sticks of gum. Prior to this time, each stick had to be painstakingly wrapped by hand, making gum a fairly expensive luxury. Wrigley found the gum giveaways he purchased from Zeno so popular, in 1893 he gave up the baking powder and moved to selling gum full time. He continued however to buy all the gum products he sold from Zeno until he finally bought the company and their factories and dissolved the Zeno name in 1911. This Zeno machine made its debut at the 1893 St Louis Worlds Fair, and represented the first practical coin operated gum machine, another Zeno innovation.

08/07/2021

Butler School of Pharmacy students are here at Hooks Drug Store Museum today until 5pm giving free blood pressure screenings and stress ball giveaways while they last.

Come on by if you're in the area!

Purdue and Manchester University will be here next Friday and Saturday, 8/13-14, 2021, doing the same.

08/06/2021

Rock Candy at Hook’s during the Fair!

08/06/2021

“Show Globes” the oldest advertising object for drugstores. In Hook’s front window!

08/06/2021

Story today in The Indianapolis Star, August 6, 2021. Hook’s Soda Fountain during the Fair rated one of 14 best date ideas!

08/06/2021

Anyone who says “They just don’t make-em like they used to”, hasn’t been to Hook’s Soda Fountain! Hand dipped cones, sundaes and our famous ice cream sodas, as well as individually prepared old-time phosphates! This years run-away favorite, our coffee cream float!! Offered in Cherry, Vanilla, or Chocolate, of course! Serving 9am to 9pm every day the Fair is open.

08/02/2021

One our favorite advertising pieces in the Museum! This is a large panel, very colorful, with great subject matter. As with many medicinal advertisements 100 years ago, the benefit or efficacy is exaggerated, but it’s easy to see why customers found this approach appealing. Hook’s features many wonderful old advertising posters all around the museum, and we also offer vintage style metal reproduction signs for sale in our gift shop! We are located in between the Home and Family Arts, and Expo Hall on the main Ave. Near 38th St entrance.

Please stop by during the Fair, we’d love to see you!

08/02/2021

Specimen jars. Can you locate them inside the Hooks Museum? We're open during the 2021 Indiana State Fair if you'd like to try.
Open again, Wednesday, Aug. 4-Aug. 22, 9am-9pm. *Closed Monday and Tuesday

08/02/2021

Got Leeches?……….

08/02/2021

07/31/2021

If you're interested in volunteering with Hooks Drug Store please attend our public information meeting to learn more.
When: Sept. 13, 6-7pm
Where:
Hooks Drug Store Museum
Indiana State Fairgrounds
1202 E. 38th St.
Indianapolis, IN 46205

07/30/2021

Only a taste of the candy display available for purchase at Hooks Drug Store Museum on the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

July 30-Aug 22, 9am -9pm. *Closed Monday and Tuesday

07/25/2021

Everyone get ready...Hooks is back and we're open 9am-9pm, July 30 - Aug. 22, 2021 for the Indiana State Fair!
*Closed Monday and Tuesdays

Lots of old favorites back in stock and Iced Coffee Floats as our new soda fountain treat and taste of the state fair item this year.

We can't wait to welcome everyone through our doors again! Hope to see you soon!