Dwight Eisenhower had just become President of the United States. "From Here to Eternity" had won the Academy Award for the best film of the year. The Detroit Lions had just defeated the Cleveland Browns, 17-16, to win the National Football League championship. In a small Detroit suburb, there was a popular drug store, complete with soda fountain.

The year was 1953. The town was Center Line, Michigan, a city of 10,000 people, surrounded by the township of Warren. The drug store was Van's Pharmacy, and the pharmacist was S. George Binson. George had just become the owner of this drug store on the corner of Van Dyke and Gronow.

Once business prospered, George and his wife Helen set their sights on a new location. In 1961, the year the Soviet Union sent the first man into space, the Binsons opened their new store on the corner of Van Dyke and Dale, just two blocks north of their first business. The store was called Binsons Pharmacy. George and Helens children, Jim, Betty and Nancy, worked by their side. There was no soda fountain. It was replaced with canes, walkers, hospital beds and other medical supplies. The Binsons hired high school students to deliver supplies to customers after school hours.

Binson's Pharmacy had become an integral part of the city of Center Line. The family was involved in the community, helping in local charities and civic fund-raising events. In 1966, a young high school student named Loretta Miller started working behind the candy counter at Binson's. She continued a lifelong career at Binson's, later becoming executive vice president.

In 1973, at the end of the Vietnam War, Binson's Hospital Supplies grew to become a dominant player in the home medical equipment industry. In line with this growth, additional pharmacists and an intern were hired, so George was able to spend more time running the business. Helen, a registered nurse, also worked in the retail area helping to run the store. During the next two years, the company continued to grow and son Jim continued to expand his expertise and presence in the business.

Soon, George and Helen decided to spend more time with their grandchildren and less time at the business. That's when Jim became the major decision-maker. The 70's was a time for many innovations in home care. The company kept growing in size, while continually adding new product lines and services, such as rehabilitation products, orthotics and prosthetics and wound care.

Binson's was one of the first companies in the country to provide home IV therapy and home ventilator care.

The company continued it's charitable contributions with organizations like the Michigan Cancer Foundation, which is now known as the Karmanos Cancer Institute, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the United Ostomy Association and more. Loan closets for these organizations are still maintained today.

In 1978 Jim incorporated the business as Binson's Hospital Supplies, Inc. A year later, the new Binson's main office opened on the I-696 Service Drive (11 Mile Road) at Lawrence in Center Line. It was there that the third and fourth generations of Binsons began working within the family business. In 1981 Binson's opened its hospital supply store on Woodward in Royal Oak. In 1991 Binson's opened a third Home Health Care Center on Maple Road in Troy. That operation has since moved to Rochester Road at the north of Square Lake Road.

Today, there are Binson's retail outlets in Center Line, Royal Oak ,Troy, Southgate and Winter Park, Florida. In addition, Binson's has joint ventures with:

• Bon Secours/Cottage Home Medical, Inc. in Eastpointe and Sterling Heights
• H-Care Hurley/Binson's in Flint, Davison and Saginaw
• Crittenton Home Medical in Rochester, Lake Orion
• CareLinc in Reed City, Grand Rapids, Lansing and Kentwood

More than 1500 customers visit Binson's retail facilities and joint venture locations every day. Binson's Service Plus program caters to an additional 12,000 customers who receive merchandise on a monthly basis, by way of delivery. With continuously updated products and services and new locations, Binson's future looks exciting. With the ease and convenience of having all customers' home health care needs at any of the Binson's retail locations, business is expected to grow even more.

The pharmacy of the '50s that became the home health care center of the '90s is destined for even greater dynamic growth in products and services for the customers of the 21st century.