Even when the big mart opened in Smallville, people still went to Earl’s pharmacy to get their prescriptions filled. Sure, he had to change, distributors and insurance plans changed over to the big Mart as a preferred provider, people still wanted to go to Earl. He never made mistakes, he worked things out with people who couldn’t afford their medicine, and he knew alternative ways to stay healthy that people actually used. He encouraged them during his walks or at the gym or the grocery store. The big Mart tried to buy Earl out. Then they burned his store down.