A drugstore is a store that sells medicines, health products, and everyday items. Also called a pharmacy, a drugstore is where you go to pick up prescriptions (medicines a doctor has ordered for you), buy bandages and cough drops, or get advice from a pharmacist about staying healthy.

But drugstores sell much more than medicine. Walk down the aisles and you'll find toothpaste, shampoo, greeting cards, snacks, school supplies, and sometimes even toys. Many drugstores have a photo counter where you can print pictures, and some include a small section with cold drinks and candy bars. In older neighborhoods, drugstores once had soda fountains where people gathered for ice cream and conversation.

Today's drugstores are descendants of old-fashioned apothecary shops where pharmacists mixed remedies by hand. While modern drugstores carry thousands of products, the pharmacy counter remains their heart: that's where trained pharmacists fill prescriptions and answer questions about medications, making sure people get the right medicine in the right amounts to help them heal.