Memories of Marshall's Drug Store
[attach]2916[/attach]Many who live in Rosedale, Moore Park and nearby areas enjoy convenient access to the drug service of Marshall’s Drug Store.
Its surroundings, in the now bustling Summerhill Avenue multi-store strip at the bottom of the hill, were once very different. In the mid 1920s when Whitney School was opened, Summerhill’s focal point was a riding stable. A tiny store, run by Mr. Hollingshead, was the only shop. It was known as The Tuck Shop because its most significant business was selling penny candies to local kids, like me.
Then about 1930, a splendid gentleman, Mr. Marshall, a pharmacist, opened a drug store. To promote awareness of his operation he offered a chocolate bar ( 5 cents) for every telephone book brought to him. To these he attached a sticker with his Marshall’s’ telephone number — Randolph 2222. I got my little wagon, loaded it up with neighbours’ phone books, proudly wheeled it to Marshall’s to get my pay-off and then with the sticker, on returned the books.
Mr. Marshall served our area for many years. Marshall’s became a household word, a destination point, our local post office. After Mr. Marshall’s retirement the store has had two or three different owners.
[attach]2917[/attach]In 2005 Samia Mikhail became the proprietor of Marshall’s. Since then customers have enjoyed her knowledgeable, efficient, pleasant service. Mikhail (some are bold enough to call her Sam) is the daughter of a Cairo pharmacist. She herself graduated from the University of Cairo’s course in 1973. Her husband, Maher, a recently retired Great Lakes merchant shipping officer, can often be seen in the background at the store.
In recent times, independent local pharmacists have had to face the growing competition of the large chain operators. This follows two personal serious occurrences that have hit Mikhail. Most everyone in the area is aware of the horrific story of the vicious thief who attacked the store in June 2009, resulting in Mikhail suffering a dislocated elbow. Then in Feb. 2010, she was hospitalised with a fractured sternum and vertebra and broken ankle following a major car accident. Despite these discouraging events, she continues at Marshall’s, providing her clients with that effective, cheerful, convenient service.