[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 86 (Wednesday, June 28, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H4789-H4790]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO THE DAHL FAMILY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Dahl family 
of Viroqua, Wisconsin. With their operation of the Dahl Pharmacy for 
more than 100 years and four generations, the Dahls wove themselves 
into the fabric of their community. Their pharmacy has been one of the 
pillars of Viroqua's downtown buisness district for over a century. 
From medication to a soda fountain, prescriptions to snacks, all sorts 
of services have been available to old and young alike since the early 
1900s.

  Chuck and Karen Dahl are good friends of mine who owned and operated 
the pharmacy for many years. Decent, principled people, the Dahls 
worked hard to grow a successful small buisness that would be attentive 
to local concerns. They have been actively involved in their community, 
displaying their belief in the responsibility to give back to the 
people who allowed their business to prosper. The Dahls' leadership has 
made the city of Viroqua and Vernon County better places to live, work, 
and raise children. In 2001, Chuck and Karen passed the Dahl Pharmacy 
along to another generation by selling it to Chuck's daughter, 
Katherine Dahl.
  The Dahl Pharmacy, like many providers throughout the Nation, is 
facing a myriad of complications with the new Medicare Prescription 
Drug Plan. I commend Dahl and all the other pharmacies which have been 
on the frontlines of this new program. They have tirelessly served 
seniors uncertain about the new Medicare Part D regulations.

[[Page H4790]]

  The Dahl family business will close its doors for the last time on 
June, 28 but leave behind a lasting legacy by having been a focal point 
in Viroqua for generations. The people of Viroqua have countless 
wonderful memories linked with the Dahl Pharmacy. Generations of 
residents have grown up with the pharmacy as a fixture in their 
childhood and a mainstay in their community. Known for their friendly, 
fast, and precise service, the Dahls established personal connections 
with their customers that went beyond the normal owner-client 
relationship.
  I Want to thank the Dahl family for their many years of service to 
the Viroqua community. While the Dahl Pharmacy will be missed, I wish 
the family the best of luck in their future endeavors.

                  [From the Vernon County Broadcaster]

                     Dahl Pharmacy to Close June 28

                             (By Tim Hundt)

       Dahl Pharmacy in Viroqua will shut its doors for good on 
     June 28 due to a buyout by national competitor Walgreens.
       The business has been in Viroqua for more than 100 years 
     and has been owned by four generations of the Dahl family.
       Dahl Pharmacy owner Katherine Dahl said she informed 
     employees on Sunday that she had reached a deal with 
     Walgreens and would be closing the doors. She said all 
     employees would be first in line for positions at the new 
     Walgreens store that will open in Viroqua the following day, 
     June 29.
       ``I thought about this for a long, long, long time,'' Dahl 
     said. ``I discussed it a lot with friends. I finally decided 
     this was something I should do.''
       Dahl said she was concerned about the business and her 
     employees with two new pharmacies set to open in June that 
     would directly compete with her operation.
       ``The hospital will be opening its new pharmacy and 
     Walgreens was also opening,'' Dahl said. ``My concern was for 
     the employees and to have continuity for them.''
       Dahl said as a part of the deal she reached with Walgreens 
     executives, she will work for the company as a pharmacist for 
     at least a year and all Dahl employees will be given first 
     opportunity for employment at the new store.
       ``They were very interested in our employees because they 
     know the people and they know the medical community here,'' 
     Dahl said.
       Dahl said the deal includes the prescription files of the 
     pharmacy as well as the store's inventory of prescription and 
     over-the-counter medication. Dahl said her store will close 
     the evening of the June 28, the inventory and staff will move 
     to the new store and Walgreens will open the morning of June 
     29.
       Dahl said Walgreens emphasis on customers also sold her on 
     the deal.
       ``I researched their company literature and they are really 
     focused on the pharmacy aspect of the business,'' Dahl said. 
     ``All of their store managers are pharmacists.''
       As for closing a business that has been one of the pillars 
     of Viroqua's downtown business community, Dahl said it has 
     been difficult.
       ``Every employee reacts differently, but there have been a 
     few tears,'' Dahl said.
       Steve Felix of Felix's Men's and Women's Wear, which is the 
     second oldest business in Viroqua, was concerned about the 
     development.
       ``The big guys will come,'' Felix said. ``People have to 
     make choice about where they want to shop and if they don't 
     support downtown businesses they won't be here. Just because 
     a business is 100 years old doesn't necessarily mean they 
     will be 101.''
       Karen Dahl, wife of Chuck Dahl, who was the third 
     generation Dahl to own the pharmacy before it was sold to 
     Katherine in 2001, said her husband was saddened by the news.
       ``He is sad because it is an end of era,'' Karen Dahl said. 
     ``The timing is good for employees and clients that will have 
     a smooth transition to the new store, but it is sad for the 
     community.''
       Karen Dahl said she is concerned about other small 
     businesses in the community.
       ``We pay an enormous amount of property tax, as does any 
     small business, but I think granting TIF district tax 
     deferment to a major corporation heavily weighs things 
     against local business owners,'' Dahl said.
       Last year the city of Viroqua granted about $600,000 to the 
     developer of the Walgreens site. A group of citizens 
     protested the use of TIF district funding for the Walgreens 
     project, but city officials said that without the incentives, 
     the project would not have gone forward.

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