Two stores with a combined 93 years on Washington Street will move from downtown to Clay Street by May 1.

David Majure II, president of the Fred’s Franchise Group, part of a Meridian-based group of 13 stores his family owns in Mississippi and other states, said Tuesday the former Corner Drug Store and Fred’s Super Dollar will move to the building at 2431 Clay St., formerly occupied by Haden Hardware.

Corner Drug Store, one of the pharmacies operated on Washington Street by the Gerache family for three generations, was sold, along with Colonial Discount Drugs at Mission 66 and Grove, to the Fred’s group in April. It since has operated as Fred’s Pharmacy at the Corner. Colonial was closed.

“This is a pretty big and expensive move,” said Majure.

“Fred’s has been in downtown Vicksburg for nearly 40 years and the location on Clay Street is the best fit for us to be able and continue to be a part of the thriving downtown corridor,” Majure said.

The move won’t affect Fred’s second Vicksburg location, at 3429 Halls Ferry Road, he said.

Fred’s employs 14 people between the two stores and plans to hire six more people after the new location opens, Majure said.

Prescription files from Corner Drug will transfer to the new store, planned as a bigger version of Fred’s grocery, health and housewares. The company is working with builders to salvage as much of the old hardware store’s four existing buildings as possible, Majure said.

“This will be a new Fred’s prototype store with more items in grocery, party supplies and apparel,” Majure said.

The pharmacy will be “state of the art” with a drive-through and offer services for diabetics and Medicare patients, Majure said.

The move closes out the tradition of Gerache pharmacies downtown that began in 1920.

Joseph A. Gerache, his parents and sisters operated People’s Drug Store on Washington near Veto Street for more than 60 years, and Gerache operated Corner Drug Store from 1959 until his son Joseph A. “Bubba” Gerache took it over and operated it until months before his death this year.

The Fred’s closing leaves the section of Washington Street between Grove and Veto with only one store selling groceries, Patsy’s Downtown Grocery.