Patterson's Drug Store has been a recognized business in downtown Martinsburg for over eight-five years. The business is proudly owned by the city's well-respected mayor, George Karos. Customers can often find him sitting at one of Patterson's diner-style booths while he conducts business and makes things happen for city residents. The combination of his responsibilities as mayor, and his activities as owner of a thriving local business, have made him a person of interest in the Eastern Panhandle.
When he's not at City Hall, Karos can be found everyday at the Patterson's location in Martinsburg, at 134 South Queen Street, or at the store's alternative location in Inwood, within the Inwood Center. At the core of this well-known business is a full-service prescription counter, but customers can also find a wide range of over-the-counter healthcare products, as well as a large selection of cosmetics and gift items. Named "Best Pharmacy" by The Martinsburg Journal Readers' Poll for the past several years, customers recognize a level of service uncommon among nationally branded competitors.
Karos is extremely proud of his business, but he is especially proud that he has been able to maintain a little piece of Martinsburg history therein. Harkening back to days long past, Patterson's is also home to an old-fashioned soda fountain and lunch counter that serves as a quaint place to grab a great lunch or enjoy a quick snack. They are perhaps most known for their world-famous "Jo-Jo" sundaes, a sinfully delightful blend of vanilla ice cream, chocolate fudge, marshmallow, and peanut butter that has even been showcased in The Washington Post.
Following graduation from Martinsburg High School, Karos served in the United States Navy as a hospital corpsman for four years. After obtaining the rank of 3/C Petty Officer, he returned to the Eastern Panhandle and attended Shepherd College. Later, he received a bachelor's degree in pharmacy from the Medical College of Virginia's School of Pharmacy in Richmond, Virginia.
His career direction was shaped by his experiences as a young boy. "My father owned a shoe shining and hat cleaning business where the BB&T bank is located in Martinsburg today," he explains. "He passed away when I was nine, and Mr. James A. Patterson, who was the owner of Patterson's at the time, took me under his wing, so to speak. I came around a lot, really wanting to be closer to where my father had worked, and eventually he hired me to use my bicycle to deliver prescriptions. When the business became available, I was excited to take over and keep the Patterson's tradition of service going for many years to come."
The City of Martinsburg has grown dramatically around the drug store, and with it, Karos saw an opportunity to further serve the area's residents. He served on the Martinsburg City Council for nearly thirty years before running for mayor in the 2000 election. "I like to see things get done," he admits, "and creating harmony and cooperation between the Berkeley County Council and city government is really in everyone's best interest." That cooperative approach to governance has helped fuel continual growth within the city, and Karos is excited about the local improvements to which he has contributed. "I love that I get to help keep the city and the county growing, and I love to see that progress is being made everyday. This is a great place to live. We just have to ensure that residents have opportunities, businesses can grow, and kids can get a quality education."
Karos's contributions to the city of Martinsburg and its residents extend far beyond the service of his business or the growthoriented leadership demonstrated through his time in office. He is also extremely involved in the community. He is an active member of the Chamber of Commerce of Martinsburg-Berkeley County, having served previously as chamber president. His record includes service to the Berkeley County Development Authority, the Roundhouse Authority, and the Inland Port Authority. He has also been appointed to the Governor's Advisory Council on Substance Abuse.
If an issue or activity is important to continued progress in Berkeley County, Karos has made certain that he is active and involved. He remarks, "I think that part of my role as mayor is to serve as a conduit between the community, city government, and county government. When we all work together, we can accomplish anything." Not only has his work impacted growth locally, but he has also contributed to a growing awareness of what the Eastern Panhandle is able to contribute to the state as a whole.
For his service, Karos has been the recipient of many noteworthy awards. He has received the Sam Walton Wal-Mart Business Leadership Award for Service to the Customer. He has also been recognized with the West Virginia A.H. Robin's Hygeia Award for Outstanding Service to the Community and to pharmacies in West Virginia. The West Virginia School of Pharmacy presented him with an Honorary Alumnus Award, and the West Virginia Municipal League recognized him as the 2007 Mayor of the Year.
Karos is honored to have received such accolades, but he is most grateful for the support of city residents, who have contributed to the success of his business and previous successful campaigns for office. He's also quick to state that the people with whom he surrounds himself are key contributors to the success of both his business and his endeavors as mayor. "It's not only me who works to accomplish these things. I am blessed to be surrounded by people—both at the drug store and at City Hall— who make my job easier. The folks around me are what I call expediters. They get things moving and get things done. Those people have a lot to do with where we are today."
When asked about his future, Karos says, "I love doing what I'm doing. Ultimately, I want to keep people happy, and I want to contribute to that happiness by helping this area continue to grow." He is recognizably excited about the many major projects that have impacted or will impact the city directly. The recent completion of the Town Square Pedestrian Plaza is an example of the projects that Karos has supported during his tenure. Other projects to which he is contributing include the Raleigh Street Extension Project and the proposed development of an expanded City Hall and Police Headquarters/Judicial Complex. In addition to involvement in major building and expansion projects, he has been active in programs to revitalize the downtown area. "Vacant buildings don't help anyone," Karos says. "We have been working with downtown landlords and Main Street Martinsburg to bring in businesses and find tenants for these buildings. Commerce is good for our local economy, and I strongly support that."
For his support of initiatives to make Martinsburg a better place to live, Mayor Karos is recognized throughout the Eastern Panhandle as an integral piece of the community. To learn more about Patterson's Drug Store, visit www.PattersonsDrugStore.com or call the store at 304-267-8903.
For more information on Karos's hometown, visit www.CityOfMartinsburg.org
