Star Drug Store

Star Drug Store Step back in time inside Galveston's historic Star Drug Store . The original structure of the Star Drug Store was wood; this changed when Charles J.
(1554)

Fresh salads, housemade soup, hot and cold sandwiches, burgers, breakfast (Mon-Fri), brunch (Sat, Sun), and soda fountain classics served at cafe tables and a vintage soda counter!

. HISTORY: In 1886, the Scanlons, a prominent real estate family in Galveston, purchased land and built two buildings known as the Levy Building and the Star Drug Store. The Scanlons hired one of Galveston’s most reno

wn architects, Nicholas Clayton, to design the buildings. He created attaching facades with asymmetrical window groupings consisting of arches and elaborate decor.
. Michaelis, a local druggist, bought the building in 1906. Michaelis hired a contractor named J.W. Zempter, who without compromising Clayton’s design, converted the building to brick. This $15,000 renovation was completed in 1909.
. In 1917, the Star Drug Store was fully operational, and a tile horseshoe-shaped soda-fountain counter was added to the pharmacy. In the ’20s George Clampitt and Grady Dickinson purchased and operated the store until 1982. These two men maintained the integrity of the drug store as well as altered history when the Star became the first desegregated lunch counter in Galveston.
. Ownership changed hands several times before a severe fire in March 1998, closed the store indefinitely. In Nov. 2001, the Tilts family purchased and began restorations to the building.
. This five year project included rebuilding and restoring the facade, two loft apartments upstairs, the historical Coca-Cola neon porcelain sign and the drug store. The owners paid careful attention to detail so that their patrons would have a memorable experience. The original horseshoe counter, complete with the embedded red tile stars in its prominent facade, still reigns as the Star Drug Store’s most recognized emblem.
. On Sept. 12, 2008, Galveston experienced a devastating disaster, Hurricane Ike. The Star Drug Store sustained over six and a half feet of water inside its premises damaging most of the downstairs furniture, equipment and retail items. With the dedication and help of family, friends and co-workers, the Star reopened three months later on Dec. 17, 2009, to once again serve its beloved patrons.

Look who came to see us today! Such a pleasure to be a part of this show! Thanks Shane!
05/04/2026

Look who came to see us today! Such a pleasure to be a part of this show! Thanks Shane!

05/02/2026
Thanks ABC 13 for the wonderful visit!
04/14/2026

Thanks ABC 13 for the wonderful visit!

Step inside Star Drug Store, serving up sweet memories at its original horseshoe soda fountain, dating back over a century.

Come shop with us for Mardi Gras!February 6-17th!
01/30/2026

Come shop with us for Mardi Gras!
February 6-17th!

Check out stardrug.store’s post.

01/25/2026

We will be CLOSED
Monday, Jan 26th due to weather

No tricks… Just treats! Come shop with us for the season! 🧙🎃👻
10/22/2025

No tricks… Just treats! Come shop with us for the season! 🧙🎃👻

07/04/2025
05/26/2025
Did you see it? Our episode on America’s Best Restaurants is live! Check it out on our page, as well as on our listing! ...
05/21/2025

Did you see it? Our episode on America’s Best Restaurants is live! Check it out on our page, as well as on our listing! https://americasbestrestaurants.com/rests/texas/star-drugstore

Our second $25 Gift Card Winner Is: Patrick Stelzer

Please stop by the restaurant to pick up your Gift Card!

We had a blast sharing our story with America’s Best Restaurants, and we're honored by this amazing opportunity. Thank you to everyone involved for your amazing support!

Be sure to stop in and try some of the delicious dishes we featured on the episode! We can’t wait to hear what you think!

05/16/2025

Come join us this weekend for food, treats and a sidewalk sale 🙂

05/14/2025

The Star Drug Store team is thrilled to share our feature on America’s Best Restaurants!

New to our page? Here’s a quick intro: In 1886, the Scanlons, a prominent real estate family in Galveston, purchased land and built two buildings known as the Levy Building and the Star Drug Store.

In the 1920's George Clampitt and Grady Dickinson purchased and operated the store until 1982. These two men maintained the integrity of the drug store as well as altered history when the Star became the first desegregated lunch counter in Galveston.

Check out our full listing on the America’s Best Restaurants website here: https://americasbestrestaurants.com/rests/texas/star-drugstore

We hope you love the episode as much as we do. A huge thank you to our incredible customers and staff for making this possible!

Don’t forget to join us tonight6pm CT / 7pm ET - so excited!
05/14/2025

Don’t forget to join us tonight
6pm CT / 7pm ET - so excited!

Get ready! Our feature on America’s Best Restaurants will be premiering on our page TOMORROW at 7:00 PM ET. Be sure to t...
05/13/2025

Get ready! Our feature on America’s Best Restaurants will be premiering on our page TOMORROW at 7:00 PM ET. Be sure to tune in with us and watch our episode!

Keep an eye on our page and let us know your favorite part of the episode once it airs!

Address

510 23rd Street
Galveston, TX
77550

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 2pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 2pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 2pm
Thursday 8:30am - 2pm
Friday 8:30am - 2pm
Saturday 8:30am - 2pm
Sunday 8:30am - 2pm

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