In 1965 Shayne and Holly Ready moved their young family, Blane, Regan and Diane to Salmon Arm to set up their own business. They purchased Hunter’s Pharmacy at the corner of Hudson and Alexander and renamed it Ready’s Drug and Camera Company to allow for both their professions and passions.
Holly grew up in Cumberland on Vancouver Island while Shayne grew up in North Vancouver. They met in the UBC Biology Lab and married a week after receiving their Pharmacy degrees in 1952. Holly received the BC Pharmacy Association Prize for most outstanding record in practical and theoretical pharmacy subjects. A generation later, son Blane followed in his mother’s footsteps and received the same award.
Soon Ready’s Sorrento Prescriptions was opened. Both sons studied pharmacy at UBC, worked at Ready’s and eventually struck out on their own. Regan ran the Sorrento store and Blane went to Shoppers in Piccadilly Mall and eventually took over the franchise.
Shayne’s passion was photography—he was a photographer with the Vancouver Sun in his teens. Once married, Shane and Holly photographed weddings and made up albums. Holly’s passion was art and fortunately her piano teacher was also an accredited art teacher who taught her watercolour painting. Holly took fine arts courses at Okanagan College and participated in a College exhibition at the Vernon Art Gallery.
The Ready family played an active part in Salmon Arm community life. For many years Shayne was on the Downtown Parking Commission, a member of the Downtown Improvement Association, and a Rotarian. He was a Gilwell Scouter and assistant scoutmaster for the 1st Salmon Arm Scout Troop and a member of the Masonic Lodge and Royal Arch Masons. He was also a certified scuba diver. Holly belonged to the Order of the Eastern Star and the Daughters of the Nile. She was a founding member of the West Vancouver sketch Club and the Salmon Arm Paint and Sketch Club and has been a long time supporter and member of the Salmon Arm Art Gallery where she participated in many exhibitions. Holly took Hospice and Healing Touch Training and Tai Chi classes.
Shayne retired in 1994 and passed away in 2004. Holly remained in the business until she sold it to Pharmasave. In 2007 Holly sold the family home and moved into “Gabe’s Bunkhouse” near the United Church. After many renovations she named her new home “Heartsong” where she enjoys reading, art, music, her garden and enjoys visits from her grandchildren.
Holly said “we enjoyed having the drugstore here and appreciated the support of the community—we liked the small town atmosphere”. When friend Tom Brighouse was involved in establishing a Community Foundation Holly and Shayne realized that being founders would be the perfect way to give back to the community that supported them for so many years. In 2007, Holly decided to support in perpetuity, two organizations close to her heart, the SAFE Society and Shuswap Hospice Society, and established the Ready Family Endowment.
Shayne Ready – 1929 to 2004
Shayne Ready was born and raised in the Vancouver area. He graduated in Pharmacy from UBC in 1952 and married a classmate Holly a week later. After serving as a community pharmacist in the Vancouver area Shayne moved to Salmon Arm in 1965 with his family and operated Ready’s Rexall Drugs and Camera Shop ‘the corner drug store’ until retirement in 1994.
Shayne was a big part of the community. He was a Gilwell Scouter and assistant scout master in the 70s for the 1st Salmon Arm Scout Troop. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and Royal Arch Masons.
