About

Klingensmith’s Drug Stores

When you shop at Klingensmith’s Drug  Stores, you’re not just our customer – you’re a part of our community. Our pharmacists and staff members promise to treat you as a valued neighbor with your well-being being our top priority. 

Make Life A Little Easier

Why Choose Klingensmith’s?

Awarded Gold Medal for “Best Pharmacy”

We’re proud to be an award-winning, family-owned pharmacy. Klingensmith’s Drug Stores has received the gold medal award for Best Pharmacy dozens of times, in surveys run by the Leader-Times, Kittanning and Leader-Vindicator, New Bethlehem, and Rimersburg newspapers.

Fully Accredited

All of our pharmacists are certified to administer vaccines. Every year, we vaccinate thousands of local community members at public events and in our pharmacies.

Easy-to-Use Patient Portal

We know you want to manage everything quickly and easily online. That’s why we offer the RxLocal patient portal. Create an account to oversee all of your medications.

About - Klingensmith's Drug Stores
About - Klingensmith's Drug Stores

Our Values as a Pharmacy

Dedication to Quality

From prenatal vitamins to energy bars, diabetes monitors to walkers, all of our products are sold with quality in mind. When something comes from Klingensmith’s Drug Stores, you can trust that it’s reliable and trustworthy.

Accessibility & Affordability

We care deeply about helping people get the medications they need and save money – regardless of their Prescription Drug Coverage. If you have a plan with minimal coverage or are simply looking to cut costs, contact Klingensmith’s today.

Honesty and Kindness

We listen closely to each patient to understand their needs. Our trained pharmacists provide transparent, well-intentioned guidance rooted in the latest scientific research and CDC guidelines.

Klingensmith’s is Your Trusted Healthcare Partner

We’re here to serve all of your pharmaceutical needs, from immunizations to prescriptions  and more. If you have questions about our services or want to open an account, let’s talk. Walk into one of our locations or give us a call

Our Drugstore’s History

How we became the neighborly pharmacy that local families trust.

It was J. Henery Klingensmith who founded the original Ford City Klingensmith’s in 1940.

His customers were his neighbors, and he gave each and every one the individual attention and service they deserved. “Kling” as he was affectionately known by the people of Ford City, owned ad operated his store as a traditional drug store with a soda fountain through the ’40s, ’50s, ’60s, and early ’70s until his retirement.

During the time of J.H. Klingensmith’s ownership, 10-year-old Joe Cippel began working for Mr. Klingensmith. He swept floors, ran errands, and began learning the business –from the ground up.

When Joe Cippel turned 18, Mr. Klingensmith made him an offer of a lifetime: He’d loan Joe the money to attend The University of Pittsburgh Pharmacy School, and, in return, Joe would come back home to Ford City after graduation and help run the pharmacy with Mr. Klingensmith.

Joe Cippel accepted this life-changing offer and upon completing his  studies he kept his word and returned to Ford City to work for Klingensmith as the Pharmacist. 

In 1972 Mr. Klingensmith retired and sold the store to Joe Cippel. This launched a new era of growth for Klingensmith as they expanded by opening locations in Leechburg, Clarion, Rimersburg, Kittanning, West Kittanning, and NuMine

During the growth of the company, Joe’s children David, Colleen, and Joe Jr. all joined the family business, carrying on the original idea of J.H. Klingensmith – and their father :
“Take time to listen to each patient, provide them with good advice about  their medications, and serve them with honesty and kindness, because it’s just the neighborly thing to do.”

History Timeline

klingensmith's drug stores - inside the store 1940's
1900 – 1939
1900 – 1939

Nestled in Ford City, PA, Kettle’s Drug Store is a beloved institution, currently owned and operated by George Kettle.

1940
1940

J. Henry Klingensmith, a druggist from Pittsburgh, purchased Kettle’s Drug Store and changed the name to Klingensmith’s Drug Store. 

1972
1972

–  After a successful tenure, J.H. Klingensmith passed the torch to Joseph Cippel, who continued to uphold the tradition of quality care.

1974
1974

– Building on its success, Klingensmith's expanded to its 2nd location in Leechburg, PA. 

1979

Word quickly spread about the superior service at Klingensmith's, leading to the opening of its 3rd location in Clarion, PA

1994
1994

Klingensmith's continued to spread its personal touch with its 4th location in Elderton, PA.

1994
1994

Expanding its reach even further, Klingensmith's opened its 5th location in Rimersburg, Clarion County,

1999
1999

 – Upon acquiring the prescription files from Allen’s Drug Store,  a long-time fixture in downtown Kittanning, Klingensmith’s opens its 6th location at 200 Market St. Kittanning.

2000
2000

– Demand for Klingensmith's unparalleled care grew, leading to the opening of a seventh location in Rural Valley, PA, and an eighth in West Kittanning.

 – Joe Cippel steps down and retires from daily operations of Klingensmith’s.

2001
2001

– Klingensmith's continued to flourish, employing over 135 people and opening a warehouse in Kittanning. This warehouse will act as a central purchasing and storage area for all 8 retail locations.  

2004
2004

– Klingensmith's commitment to progress meant the closure of the Elderton store, relocating it to Shelocta, PA.

– Always striving to provide the best for their customers, Klingensmith's relocated its Rural Valley store to NuMine, PA, adjacent to DiMaio’s Supermarket on PP-Rt 85.

2006
2006

– In an effort to expand and improve its Ford City location, Klingensmith's began construction on a new building with additional retail and professional space.

2007
2007

On January 28 Klingensmith's proudly opened its new "Flagship" store in Ford City, solidifying its position as a community pillar.

2010
2010

– Klingensmith’s acquires the prescription files from New Bethlehem Pharmacy and opens location in New Bethlehem, PA.

2011
2011

– After 32 wonderful years of operating the location in Clarion – the business challenges faced by community pharmacy force the company to close the Clarion location which was opened by Mr. Cippel in 1979.

2015
2015

– Klingensmith's continues to innovate and improve its services, launching new programs such as ScriptSync, Sildenafil, and Bedside Delivery at ACMH Hospital.

2018
2018

– The Leechburg location moves from 153 Market St and relocated, the Pharmacy-Only, inside Sprankle’s Supermarket in Leechburg, PA.

– Sadly, on October 18th, Joe Cippel, the former owner of Klingensmith's, passes away at the age of 86 after a long battle with metastatic prostate cancer. His legacy lives on in the company he built and the people whose lives he touched.

2019
2019

– The community pharmacy industry faces challenges from PBM industry – primarily the 3 largest PBM’s which now control 80% of the total RX reimbursements for Medicare-D, Medicaid, and Commercial insurance plans. 10% of our scripts are reimbursed below acquisition cost, but Klingensmith's remains committed to providing high-quality care and services to its customers.

 

–After 25 years of service in Shelocta, Klingensmith's closes that location and sells the RX files to CVS.
Klingensmith’s now operates 7 pharmacy locations and a warehouse.

2020
2020

– The COVID-19 pandemic impacts everyone, but Klingensmith's steps up to help their communities in any way they can. 

2021
2021

– In a year defined by the pandemic, Klingensmith's plays an important role in administering 15,000 vaccines at over 75 public events and at its pharmacies.

2022
2022

– As of June 2022, Klingensmith's has administered a total of 17,000 COVID-19 vaccines, further demonstrating its commitment to promoting health and wellness in the communities it serves.