Unique Pharmacy in Arkansas Blends Medications with Firearms

John Lykins takes great pride in his unconventional business. As the owner of Lowell Pharmacy, located in a suburb of Fayetteville, Arkansas, he offers a mix of services that you wouldn’t typically find in your neighborhood drugstore. Customers can grab a soda at the fountain, refill prescriptions, or even buy a Glock 22.

Lykins, a licensed pharmacist, has been running the store since 2003, and he secured his federal firearms license in 2008. It wasn’t long before he started to merge pharmaceuticals with firearms, introducing guns alongside other items like vitamins and sunglasses.

“It all started when I bought 100 surplus Glock pistols at an FBI auction,” Lykins reminisces. “From there, things just took off. I now have a variety of rifles and handguns.”

He lives on a 980-acre farm with his wife and three children. Interestingly, he recalls receiving his first gun at the age of six from his father, who thought he was tough enough since he didn’t cry during a dentist visit.

The pharmacy is thriving—on busy days, it can host around 100 customers looking for anything from ammunition to blood pressure meds. “People come for all sorts of reasons,” Lykins notes. “They might need antibiotics, or perhaps a Sig Sauer 365, which, by the way, is our top seller.”

According to a recent report from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, U.S. civilians have acquired over 506 million firearms between 1990 and 2023. The trend shows a growing interest in personal firearms.

Lykins explains that in Arkansas, customers can opt for concealed or open carry. Besides firearms, his store also has a variety of canned goods, a gunsmithing service, and even a waiting area for patients picking up prescriptions.

To purchase a long gun, buyers need to be at least 18 and provide valid ID while filling out a form that undergoes FBI background checks. For handguns, the requirement is 21, along with similar checks.

The enterprising business owner is also involved in programs aiding veterans. He participates in a scheme that allows veterans facing mental health challenges to store their weapons with him for free until they are deemed fit to handle them again. “This has only happened perhaps three or four times,” Lykins shared.

Adding a touch of humor to his merchandise, he offers T-shirts with the slogan, “I buy my guns from my drug dealer.” He cheerfully adds, “We have hoodies too!”

For those interested, purchases can be made via the website NWARX.com.