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HAY RIVER - Larry Ring works in a family business.

In fact, three generations of the Ring family currently work at Ring's Pharmacy in Hay River.

Larry Ring is one of four family members who co-own and operate Ring's Pharmacy in Hay River. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

"It's a true family business," Ring said.

Along with himself, his mother, brother and sister are all equal co-owners of the pharmacy, plus his 13-year-old daughter Kim began working part-time this year.

"It's special," he said of the family involvement. "It's a good feeling for sure."

Ring, a pharmacist by training, said he and the other co-owners all share in running the business.

"It all works because of the family," he said. "Everyone has got a role."

In general, he oversees the day-to-day operation of the pharmacy by looking after such things as scheduling and hiring.

His brother Les looks after shipping and receiving, his sister Gayle helps manage the front of the store, and his mother Marlene is in charge of the giftware section.

The public rarely sees Ring working as a pharmacist, since he only fills emergency prescriptions when the store is closed.

Such emergency service is important, he said.

"In a small community, you're on call. It doesn't bother me to get called in after hours."

Ring said the 20 or so store employees joke that the fact he is a pharmacist is one of the best-kept secrets in Hay River.

The Ring family entered the pharmacy business in the NWT in 1961 when the late Wally Ring – Larry's father – opened a drugstore in Fort Smith, where Larry was born in early 1963.

Even though the Fort Smith store is no longer owned by the family, it is still called Wally's Drugs.

The family moved to Hay River's Old Town in 1963, just before one of the worst floods in the community's history.

Wally Ring established a tradition of service in Hay River by staying open in Old Town during the flood.

In 1990, Larry Ring graduated with a pharmacy degree from the University of Alberta and came to work at the family business, which had moved to its current location in 1971.

Ring had studied recreation administration at the University of Alberta for several years.

However, he switched to learning to become a pharmacist because it was the family business.

"That's why I would have explored the option for sure, because my father was in the business," he said.

Becoming a pharmacist also offered job security and allowed him to come back to his home and family.

"It just seemed to fit," he said of his career choice.

His actual experience at the pharmacy goes back to when he was a preteen working as a stock boy.

Ring said it is important to him that the business remain in the family, noting the store is closing in on 50 years of service to Hay River.

"The family has literally worked in the business for that long," he said.

Ring, 46, is hoping the new generation of Rings will grow up to operate the store.

"But not to the degree I'm going to influence them," he said, adding his father put no pressure on him to join the family business.

Ring said he loves his work and the interaction with the community

A unique aspect of Ring's Pharmacy is its impressive selection of sports memorabilia, which Ring describes as one of his passions which he has developed into a niche for the business.

"It's a small community," he said. "You can't get that anywhere else."

Ring gives credit for the success of the business to his father, who died in 2002.

"It's a reflection of my father," he said. "He really built the business. I just showed up and started working for him."