J.W. Monfort opened Monfort Drug and Book Store in 1894, and his son Marion joined him in 1929. For 59 years, the store was a hub for farmers, college students, and families seeking textbooks, prescriptions, and merchandise. Its soda fountain was especially popular, selling chocolate malts for a quarter, and the business remained an Alva landmark until it burned in 1953. Jim Holder accepted a job as a pharmacist there with Marion Monfort in 1950, and in 1952 Jim and Mary Holder purchased Hester Drug on the south side of the square. After the Monfort fire, L.O. "Doc" Southern and his wife, Elizabeth, joined them and Holder Southern Drug was formed. When Doc retired, Jim and Mary became sole owners, and Holder Drug continued to operate as a family-owned business as it had since 1952. Jim and Mary were energetic boosters of the Alva community through active participation in church, civic organizations, NWOSU, and economic development projects, and they especially valued being accepted as contributing participants in the community.