Customers walking into Mineral Pharmacy in Superior may be greeted by an employee who isn’t wearing a name badge, but she’s hard to miss.

Mabel, a silver Labrador retriever, has become a beloved part of the pharmacy team and a favorite among customers.

Pharmacist Dustin Baker has had dogs before, but Mabel is the first to officially join him at work. She has been coming to the pharmacy since she was just 8 weeks old, making her well-accustomed to people coming and going throughout the day. Friendly and outgoing, Mabel greets nearly everyone in the back of the complex where she stays behind the pharmacy counter. When children are in the store and she hears their voices, her enthusiastic tail wagging hits Mach V. 

“She loves kids,” Baker said. “They really enjoy petting her and giving her treats, and she’s always happy to say hello.”

Beyond being a friendly presence, Baker believes Mabel provides a therapeutic benefit for customers. 

“Sometimes people come in for prescriptions and they’re not feeling their best,” he said. “Having a happy, smiling silver Labrador looking at them improves their mood. It takes the stress off a little bit.” 

In fact, Mabel has become such a local favorite that some visitors stop by just to see her.

 “There are people who come in even if they don’t have a prescription,” Baker said. “They just want to see Mabel and give her a treat.”

Mineral Pharmacy is owned by Andi and Justin Holmes, who also operate pharmacies in Plains and Thompson Falls. Baker previously worked at those locations, where dogs were also part of the workplace culture. 

“If you’re looking at big corporate places like Walgreens or CVS, I don’t think they allow dogs,” Baker said. “But a lot of independent pharmacies do. I’ve heard Frenchtown and Florence have dogs in their pharmacies too. It might be something that’s pretty unique to Montana.”

Mabel’s distinctive silver coloring often sparks conversation among customers. Baker said she came from a breeder in St. Regis, and discussions about silver Labradors are common. 

“I’ve heard mixed things,” he said. “Some people think the silver color comes from a specific gene isolated from chocolate Labs. Others argue that a Weimaraner was mixed in somewhere along the line. The American Kennel Club doesn’t recognize silver as an official color, which just adds to the debate.” 

Regardless of her pedigree, Mabel has clearly earned her place at Mineral Pharmacy; one wagging tail, happy customer, and Milk-Bone at a time.