Curiosity led me to chronicle Schmitter's Pharmacy, one of the longest-operating pharmacies in Holyoke, and certainly more so, as Alwin Frederick Schmitter, its pharmacist and owner, worked 60 of its 61 years.
Alwin F. Schmitter was born in Saxony, Germany, on August 30, 1879 and arrived in the United States with his family at age 7. He attended local schools and, by 1900, was listed as a clerk at the Elmwood Pharmacy at 128 South Street. Mr. Schmitter became a naturalized citizen on November 19, 1902. He resided at 102 South Street at the time.
He opened the A.F. Schmitter Pharmacy in Elmwood at the southeast corner of South Street and Harrison Ave. in 1909. For several years, the pharmacy was located in a wood-frame structure until it was demolished to make way for the 4-story brick McCormick Building, built in 1913. The pharmacy remained at 522 South Street for the remainder of its years. Mr. Schmitter, along with his wife, Maria (Merkle) Schmitter, resided in the McCormick block for about 15 years.
In 1927, a second drugstore was opened at 155 Sargeant Street, known as Schmitter's Pharmacy. This was located in a newly constructed one-story commercial building at the northwest corner of Walnut St., adjacent to the Holyoke Armory building. Businesses located there included the Great A&P Tea Co. (#153), Schmitter's Pharmacy (#155), Carl Oakes, barber (#157), A. H. Phillips, grocer (#157 1/2), and a vacant store (#159).
In 1930, Mr. Schmitter's son, Alwin M. Schmitter, Jr., took over management of the Sargeant Street business. He was a graduate of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy in Boston. He continued to operate this there until 1940, when the business was sold to Edward Driscoll and Edward Glesmann. Alwin Jr. then became associated with his father at the pharmacy at 522 South Street. The pharmacy was also designated a U.S. Post Office substation No. 1 in Holyoke.
Alwin F. Schmitter went into semi-retirement in 1950.
In 1959, A.F. Schmitter's Prescription Pharmacy celebrated its 50th anniversary. Although the business rarely advertised, it did so for the occasion. The large display ad showed that the pharmacy carried medical supplies and vitamins, sunglasses, flashlights, clocks, and writing paper. There was also a soda fountain with ice cream and beverages.
In 1969, Alwin Sr. retired from the business. At the time, he was the oldest and most experienced pharmacist operating in Holyoke. In the following year, the business was sold to Normand Grenier, who relocated his pharmacy from Northampton Street opposite the Joseph Metcalf school to the twice-as-spacious Schmitter's store.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; publication dates and pages are shown.
Ancestry.com (paid subscription): Price & Lee, Holyoke, Massachusetts, City Directories
Massachusetts Cultural Research & Information System, Boston, Massachusetts
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