William Taylor was born and raised in Leesburg, Florida. He attended the University of Florida, where he earned his degree in Pharmacy. After marrying in 1936, he and his wife lived in Leesburg for one year before moving to Winter Park. The reason for the move to Winter Park was a job offer . . . managing Gary’s Pharmacy. He later opened his own establishment in 1948. Mr. Taylor enjoyed an active life in Winter Park and the Taylors raised their children here. He retired in 1962, but kept his management contract of Taylor’s Pharmacy until 1970. This oral history interview occurred on October 2, 1985. The interviewer was Marjorie Muller. Oral History: An interview with William Taylor (Click here to listen) Mrs. Muller: So you opened the original Taylor’s Pharmacy, which is the same one that we all know and go to and remember. Mr. Taylor: Yes, in 1948. With one employee. Mrs. Muller: Who was that one employee? Mr. Taylor: (Chuckle) My wife. Mrs. Muller: I think that’s wonderful! What did Lib do? Mr. Taylor: She did everything I didn’t do. (Laughter) No, Lib ran the front end of the store and did all of the buying, the cosmetics, and did an awful lot of public relations. Mrs. Muller: That was a fortunate thing to do. And how did you get interested in pharmacy? Mr. Taylor: Marge, I started to work in a drug store when I was nine years old, and was either employed full-time or part-time from then until I was out of college. Mrs. Muller: What did you do at nine? Was this is Leesburg? Mr. Taylor: I waited on tables. Then, I progressed to be a soda jerker. Mrs. Muller: And then? Mr. Taylor: And then, after college of course, I was a Registered Pharmacist. Mrs. Muller: So, you majored in pharmacy and got your interest at the time as you grew up. Did you work for your father or a relative, I mean when you were growing up? Mr. Taylor: No Mrs. Muller: Well, back to Winter Park. You started in 1943 . . . Mr. Taylor: No, Taylor’s Pharmacy was opened in 1948. I came as manager of Garry’s Pharmacy in 1937. Mr. Garry had died the year before and they were looking for someone to manage the store for the family. That’s how I happened to come to Winter Park. It was a very good move for me and Lib. We’ve enjoyed our years in Winter Park. Later in the interview: Mr. Taylor: Something you would be interested in: In those days the drug stores . . . and this relates to the business items . . . had curb service. Do you remember ever riding up to a drug store, blowing your horn, and somebody would come out and bring your order . . . like a Coke? Just like you would do at a drive-in now when they bring you a tray. Mrs. Muller: Did they do that to you? Mr. Taylor: Oh yes. It was being done. It was common everyplace. But I can remember we had it for about a year after I came here, and I can remember in that period of time it didn’t matter whether it was forty degrees outside or thirty five degrees. They would ride up, toot their horn, you would run out and take their order and perhaps they would want two Cokes or two hot chocolates. This is beside the point, but I can remember just as well serving Hugh McKean and Jeannette Genius when they were courting at the curb, as well as many other people. (Chuckle) I say this because it is going into the Morse foundation. Yes, I remember it well. Mrs. Muller: When you say curb service, are you referring completely to ice cream soda, that sort of thing? If they wanted drugs, could they hand their prescription to you? Mr. Taylor: Well, they would hand you a prescription, you’d come out and get it, you would fill it, and take it back out to them. Mrs. Muller: And they didn’t have to wait. You didn’t deliver to homes during those days? Mr. Taylor: Yes, we delivered. When we came here they were delivering by bicycle throughout the Winter Park area.