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Businesses in old downtown Oak Harbor come and go with the seasons, but Island Drug, one of the city's oldest businesses, has stayed the course. It truly is a successful business that continues to thrive. A transition is taking place behind the scenes at the store on Pioneer Way. Customers won't notice the change, but over time, innovations planned for the store will be felt and welcomed. Bill Bulpin, 68, announced this week that Aaron Syring (pronounced Searing), 27, has taken over as business owner with his partner Steve Oliva of Hi-School Pharmacy. Under the agreement Bulpin and Syring will work together for the next seven years, after which Bulpin will retire, having completed 50 years in the profession of pharmacy. Bulpin came aboard in 1987 and has been running things with a tried-and-true business philosophy. "Look the customer in the eye, deal with them one-on-one and get to know them by name," Bulpin said. "Our customers love coming here because we're like family. We are their service and information center." Some worried big chain stores would devour small businesses like Island Drug. Not this local independent! "Ninety percent of people who walk into a store have insurance, and the co-pay is the same no matter where you shop," he said. "The difference at Island Drug is personal customer service." They go out of their way to be flexible and professional, and they were the first store to become CHAMPUS ( later TRICARE) specialists, making it easier for military families to get prescriptions in town. Special order or request?