In 1896, Sheldon Toomer brought an infamous fresh-squeezed lemonade recipe to the corner of Magnolia Avenue and College Street, Toomer’s Corner, where the notorious paw print and Toomer’s Oaks are found with a fresh layer of toilet paper snow, flowing in the wind after an Auburn victory.
Toomer was a true Auburn man, a former running back for Auburn’s first football team, a graduate with degrees in pharmacy and agriculture and a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives, representing Lee County.
Toomer passed the torch to McAdory “Mac” and Elizabeth “Libba” Lipscomb, the current owners of the building, in 1952.
Mac and Libba Lipscomb decided the building where Toomer’s is located was in great need of restoration, which opened the doors for pharmacists Don and Betty Haisten to become owners of Auburn’s beloved Toomer’s Drugs.
Don and Betty are alumni of Auburn and were both involved in Greek life. Don was a Phi Gamma Delta, Fiji, fraternity member and Betty was an Alpha Chi Omega sorority member.
Betty said that when she attended Auburn, Toomer’s was not anything compared to what it is now, calling it “minimal.”
After revamping the building, The Haistens opened Toomer’s back up in Oct. 1999. They updated the soda fountain, put photos representing the history of Toomer’s on the walls and refurbished the storefront to enhance its appearance.
“It was so exciting. Don’s whole philosophy regarding this was ‘We are going to restore it for the alumni and the visitors that come to town and the community. We want it to be a place where people can make memories,’” Betty said.
Don passed away in 2005, but Betty upholds his legacy within Toomer’s.
