“It’s been like a funeral in here,” she says.

Like many of the customers, Bob Landers has made Billings & Stover part of his lifelong routine. For the last 60 years, Landers has come into the store almost every morning at 6:15 a.m. to open up. He used to work as a pharmacist, but ever since Billings & Stover stopped selling drugs, he “mostly putters around,” as he puts it. Every morning he cooks up chocolate chip cookies, makes the coffee and helps Madanian set up the fudge and baked goods.

The store opens at eight o’clock on time for its “coffee and newspaper regulars,” Madanian says.

“Not many people come in for the soda fountain in the morning,” Landers says.

But Madanian says, not so fast.

“There’s that woman who always gets her diet soda and walnut float,” she says.

“So many of our clients—they don’t even have to say the order,” she adds. “I could have it ready before they even get in the door.”

But today Madanian receives an unusual offer. Right after opening, a man walks claiming to deal in old pharmacy equipment. He asks if there is anything he might buy but, when he looks up with interest at the tall ledger books lining the top of the narrow shop’s wall, Madanian stops him cold.

“I really want those somewhere where they can be appreciated,” she says. “Those accounts go all the way back to July 14, 1854. I’m talking to the Smithsonian right now.”

After the man leaves, Madanian explains that many objects in the store tell a story.

“Some of the things in the shop,” she says, “I won’t sell.”

On the shelf behind the counter, she points out a large Gumby doll and lifts it up to show a “not for sale” sticker on the back side.

“Rosy wrote that,” she says. “She worked here 15 years, and passed away two years ago. She loved Gumby, and asked me not to sell the last one. And I never have. People have offered me a hundred dollars, but I have to tell them, he’s not for sale.”

All of a sudden, there are tears in Madanian’s eyes.

She pulls down a plaque from the wall. A large group of customers got together to give it to the store after the long-time employee’s death.