ND Department of Agriculture Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE APRIL 21, 2009

BISMARCK DRUGSTORE IS PRIDE OF DAKOTA RETAILER OF THE YEAR

BISMARCK – A longtime Bismarck pharmacy has been named the 2009 Pride of Dakota Retailer of the Year.

“Plaza Drug was nominated by other Pride of Dakota members to receive this honor,” said Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, who presented the award Tuesday, to owner Sherry Furcht. “The award recognizes Sherry’s business achievement and her efforts on behalf of Pride of Dakota.”

A Hazen native, Furcht earned a pharmacy degree from North Dakota State University. She started working at Plaza Drug in 1999 and purchased the business in 2004. She said the previous owner, Jan Mayer, had first stocked Pride of Dakota products at the store.

“I noticed that people came into the store, especially around Christmas, looking for Pride of Dakota items, so I expanded the selection after I bought the store,” Furcht said. “We now carry a wide assortment of Pride of Dakota food products, as well as many gift items. They are very popular with our customers.”

Founded in the mid 1950s, Plaza Drug is in its original location in the Arrowhead Plaza shopping center, 1116 N. Third St., in north central Bismarck. In addition to a full service pharmacy, the business carries an extensive line of gift items and greeting cards. The store is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and Sundays from Halloween through Mother’s Day from noon to 4 p.m. Plaza Drug has 20 fulltime and part-time employees.

Authorized by the Legislature and administered by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, the Pride of Dakota program fosters the development and growth of small businesses and especially businesses that are farm-based or rely on agricultural commodities. Pride of Dakota member companies can participate in cooperative promotion and marketing events; receive representation at local, state, regional, national, and international trade shows and educational opportunities. More than 400 companies are Pride of Dakota members.

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MEDIA: For more information, please call Ted Quanrud at (701) 328-2233 or tquanrud@nd.gov or Patrice Lahlum at (701) 239-7210 or plahlum@nd.gov.

For more information on Plaza Drug, call Sherry Furcht at (701) 223-8872.

PRONOUNCER: Furcht rhymes with CHURCH.