It is often said that you can never go home again, and in a literal sense, that’s usually true. The past is a stubborn thing; it stays anchored exactly where it happened. But every once in a while, if enough people refuse to let a piece of a town’s soul vanish, the future finds a way to rhyme with the past.
This week, the heart of downtown Hillsboro beat a little stronger. The Hillsboro Pharmacy came back.
It isn’t the exact same pharmacy we lost, of course. The world changed forever on that freezing January night in 2022 when the devastating Weil Building fire ripped through Main Street, crippling our downtown and forcing the pharmacy’s doors closed. We lost the morning coffee crowd, the vast shelves of gifts and toys, and the steady hum of neighbors stopping in for physical prescriptions and flu shots. But what we got back this week proves that while the form may alter, the heart of a community can absolutely be healed.
What has risen at the historic corner is a beautifully unique American blend: an excellent, traditional Vietnamese restaurant seamlessly interwoven with the legendary, enduring soda fountain. There is also a pharmacy kiosk drop-off for customers of owner Janice Nguyen. You will also find a few gift options and a whole lot of pharmacy history.
Getting to this opening day took an awfully long time and an immense amount of local grit. It required a village of people who fiercely love this town’s history. Former owner and pharmacist Doug Johnson, current owner Jasmine Nguyen, and community champions and former long-term employees like Kathy Schmidelkofer worked alongside building owner Bob Herb—who has been a driving force for downtown Hillsboro over the decades—to ensure the building’s deep history wasn’t just remembered, but physically brought back.
Step inside, and you’ll see they succeeded beautifully. The old pharmacy signs, the iconic prescription counter, a wooden cabinet packed with historic bottles and ephemera, and vintage photos are all neatly and respectfully incorporated into the welcoming new space.
Sitting right at that historic prescription counter, I watched the old 1940 green shake machine. It wasn’t running just yet, standing instead like a quiet sentinel of the ages, a monument to everyone who ever pulled up a stool here over the last century. And while looking at that piece of history, I immensely enjoyed a plate of grilled pork rolls with traditional sauce. The vegetables were incredibly crunchy, the pork braised and seasoned to absolute perfection, and the rice wrap was flawless. The Nguyen family, who already run a successful restaurant and a separate pharmacy in Gresham, have a remarkable ability to serve delicious, authentic Vietnamese cuisine.
As I ate, the real magic of the space started unfolding right in front of me.
A family walked in, eyes scanning the counter, looking for a sweet treat.
“We will have ice cream tomorrow! It’s going to be great,” announced Leo Nguyen, the owner’s young son, with an easy confidence. “But we have milkshakes today—they are really good!”
Five minutes later, three young kids and their mom were happily swinging their feet from the original fountain bar stools, smiling, laughing, and sharing shakes.
Leo made sure I had everything I needed, too. If I remember right, he’s heading into the sixth grade. He told me he genuinely loves working with his family and keeping the energy up. When he’s not helping out at the restaurant, Leo loves Go-Karts—racing them in real life whenever he can, or practicing hard on his computer simulator at home. But right now, he’s hooked on the energy of the shop and the simple joy of making people happy. The kid has a smile big enough to span the entire Willamette River, a warmth that matches the hospitality his family is pouring into Main Street every single day.
Leo and his co-worker even spent some time listening to this old town historian talk about the pharmacy’s deep roots, sharing stories of Doctor Francis Alonso Bailey—the original founder of the Hillsboro Pharmacy, a famous medical man, a four-time Mayor, and a foundational community leader long before Hillsboro was even officially a city.
SEE MORE PHOTOS OF THE NEW HILLSBORO PHARMACY RIGHT HERE
To be completely honest, I didn’t know whether this opening and blending of businesses would happen, or what it would look like if it did. As a historian, I realize all too well that things from the past belong to the past. Nothing behind us ever comes back exactly how it was; the future carries zero guarantees, and we have no control over the hand fate deals us. No one could have predicted the 2022 fire.
But sitting there in the moment, watching the smiling staff, watching folks dive into traditional Vietnamese dishes alongside kids spinning on fountain stools, it all hit me.
This place is going to work. It is going to exude that classic community-gathering-spot vibe. No, it won’t ever be the exact same as it was before the fire, but it doesn’t have to be. This cross-cultural mix of ice cream, deep local history, family, and Vietnamese cuisine has set a beautiful new stage.
The Hillsboro Pharmacy is back, and if my first experience is anything like my next, the heart of Hillsboro is back with it.
Read our longer stories with Hillsboro Pharmacy History here and see more photos and information below-
When The Hillsboro Pharmacy Returns Our Hearts Will Be Healed
Hillsboro Pharmacy History – Hillsboro, Oregon – Members of the infamous Coffee Club met every morning for many decades at the Pharmacy. Many are gone but never forgotten.
Ultimately, it’s the people who serve and the neighbors who come back who make a community staple work. I, for one, am going to be a regular, just like I was before.
Oh, and for the old-timers wondering about a certain former pharmacy favorite? I asked Leo if we might see the return of the famous Green River phosphate soda down the line. He gave me that massive smile and said he would take it up with the boss.
Welcome back to Main Street. The heart of Hillsboro is open for business.
Very glad to see the new Pharmacy and Fountain blending old and new. Neither hard ice cream nor Vietnamese cuisine like pho and banh mi have any representation downtown, and presenting both at the old counter next to a hopping cart pod and taproom is a nice touch. Looking forward to the first visit.