Recently when I visited my brother Sam’s grave,I recalled some memories of time spent together,,when he was still around. His death on July 8, 1999 ended a close relationship.For approximately 65 years,we had shared both happy and sad times as we grew up in Washington,D.C.,and Maryland neighborhoods. The memories of our activities are intertwined with D.C. and Maryland history. 

  Born in  Israel,when this country was still known as Palestine in 1912, Sam along with our mother, brother Phil and sister Sarah, arrived in Cheyenne,Wyoming in April 1922. My father had departed to the U.S. before World War I prior to Sam’s birth,resulting in him being around 10 years old when he met his father for the first time. .I joined the family when I was born in July 1923. Around 1927 our family moved to the Southwest neighborhood of Washington,D.C. ,where we lived in the house,recently vacated by the famous screen and stage entertainer Al Jolson’s family.At this time SW D.C. was a close-knit mixed neighborhood. Many residents operated small groceries,dry goods,variety shops,living behind or over their businesses.My Dad was in the poultry business, slaughtering chickens,and turkeys in a prescribed manner under specific regulations of the Jewish religion.He also performed circumcisions.

Sam and I both attended Jefferson Junior High located in SW,and later Central High that later became Cardoza high in N.W. D.C. We were frequent visitors to Griffith Stadium,then located at 7th and Florida Avenue,N.W,to watch the Redskin games,when there no season ticket waiting lists,and the admisission price was about $5.00.    Sam received his greetings from the army n 1942. He was placed in an  Air Corps recruiting location in Richmond,Virginia. Somehow the Army had overlooked that he had not received basic training,so after a year of two,his recruiting assignment was temporarily suspended as he completed his basic training.Later he was assigned to an Army Air Corps recruiting office in Roanoke, Virginia.

 I received my army greetings in 1943,and was assigned to a Field Artillery battalion,of the 42d Infantry Rainbow Division in Oklahoma,Our unit was shipped to Marseilles, France in January 1945. Sam and I kept in touch,and both emerged safely. I returned from Europe two days too late to attend Sam’s wedding on March 31, 1946. After the War,Sam worked for my brother Phil,at Economy Pharmacy, 9th and U Street,N.W. In 1948,Sam branched out on his own, purchasing the Lamont 5 and 10 variety shop, at Georgia Avenue and Lamont Streeet,D.C.  Sam enjoyed his job,as a small business proprietor,where he remained for about 20 years. I had purchased Smith Pharmacy, at 2518 14th Street,N.W. Occasionally Sam and I traveled to  attend an annual variety wholesale show in New York City,to purchase merchandise that we both could use. It was always fun to combine business,together with visiting  the Big Apple.

  Tragedy hit us both on April 4th,1968,when Doctor King’s assassination triggered the DC 68 riot.Sam’s 5 and 10 was completely looted,and my drug store was burned down. Both of us decided not to rebuild.Sam eventually returned to government service,and I went into the newsstand and gift-shop business.

 Both of us attended World War II veteran meetings,and remained Redskin fans.When Sam retired,he kept busy developing his artistic skills, even selling some of the portraits he painted. After a mini-stroke,Sam was longer able to drive.I picked him up to drive to synagogue services,have lunch or dinner,and occasionally enjoy a movie,or walk around a shopping mall. 

 As his  health deteriorated,he was sometimes too weak  to get out of bed. He eventually moved into a nursing home. During my frequent visits, he kept in good spirits,smiling occasionally,when we recalled different memories.

 I  miss Sam, a good brother, and thank God for giving us the opportunity to spend many pleasant moments together.

Phil maintained a practice in his pharmacies that I’ve never seen in other pharmacies: He maintained a small notebook on the premises, labeled, “The Bible,”  in which he instructed his employees to record suggestions or complaints on anything related to the drugstore’s operation.  This even included complaints against fellow employees. In another notebook, labeled “Blues,”  employees could record promotional items sold, that entitled them to a commission from  management.  The cost price of some specialty merchandise like gifts was coded from the words-TRULY SPEAK-T for 1, R for 2, U for 3 L for 4 etc. In some cases a clerk could lower the selling price.

When I was discharged from the military and returned home in 1946, I was surprised to hear that Phil had purchased two more pharmacies. He asked if I would assist him with some of the administrative tasks, like paying bills, preparing payrolls, and maintaining records.  I accepted the job, working, part-time with Phil in his main office and attending George Washington University the rest of the time. In 1946 there was a shortage of pharmacists, because few students had graduated in this field during World War II.  When my  brother learned that more pharmacists were seeking employment in Philadelphia than in D.C., he placed a newspaper ad in that city, advertising for pharmacists to work in Washington, D.C. at a weekly salary of $100.00, an amount that probably exceeded the market wages for that profession in the “City of Brotherly Love.”  Through this ad, Doc Phil hired three pharmacists, all of whom performed to his satisfaction.  As  time progressed, however, all three of these “Docs” purchased their own drug stores.

When Phil experienced some legal disagreements with his landlord of Standard Pharmacy,7 th and S Street,N.W., he purchased an empty lot across the street with the intention of  erecting a new building there, to house his drugstore and liquor department. His contractor completed the construction of the new structure, but when it came time to move, he was informed by a  DC licensing agency that, for some reason, he could move the liquor department but not the drug store. Since Phil was always addressed as “Doc,” he named the new liquor store “DOX.”  The big move resulted in “DOX” becoming a successful business. During its grand opening , “Doc” arranged to have the famous former world boxing champion, Joe Louis, present, which attracted many, many customers.

Doc Phil had opened Standard Pharmacy, 7th and S Street, N.W. in 1934.

Finally, Phil decided that the time had arrived for him to take it easy. First, he sold Economy and Boyd pharmacies, and later, DOX LIQUOR.  Reverend Martin Luther King’s sudden assassination on April 4, 1968, triggered the DC ’68 riot, at which time “DOX” Liquor was burned down.

Doc Phil had already passed away. His widow, Lillian, had the task of dealing with an insurance company to settle the loss of  a still nearly new building that was the former home of “DOX” Liquor.

I recently drove by the former location of “DOX” liquor. The sole occupant on that space is a Metro train station.  Things change

”

in Philadelphia

During my brother Phil’s career as a pharmacist, he was the proprietor of three drug stores — Standard Pharmacy, located at 7th and S Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., Economy Pharmacy, 9th and U Street, N.W.  D.C. and Boyd’s Pharmacy, Georgia Avenue and Kenyon Street, N.W.  D.C.  Around the late 30′s, I occasionally helped my brother, serving as a cashier in his tobacco department, selling cigarettes, candy and snacks.  Customers could purchase loose cigarettes for a penny apiece or packs for about a quarter. Doc Phil  (Pharmacists were always addressed as “Doc”) had a special department at Standard Pharmacy not usually found in most neighborhood pharmacies–a liquor department.  Like most drug stores, there was a busy soda fountain where customers could purchase cold drinks, sandwiches and malted milk shakes (my favorite drink).  Unlike today, many prescriptions had to be compounded, and many folks sought advice from the pharmacist when they had a cold, upset stomach or bad headache, rather than visit a doctor.  The following items had not yet been around in all of Phil’s pharmacies: Computer cash registers, cell phones, pharmacy technicians, prescription insurance, credit cards and onsite photo finishing.  In addition, there were very few women pharmacists.

 Memories of my brother Phil’s drug store will be continued.

 As a former employee, of a wholesale drug firm in Washington,D.C. District Wholesale Drug, during the 50′s and the proprietor of a neighborhood drug store, Smith Pharmacy, 2518 14th Street,N.W. from 1959 to 1968,I am interested in contacting anyone who either worked in a drug store, or any pharmacy proprietor around this period of time.

 Unfortunately my drug store was burned down during the DC 68 riot,triggered by the assassination of Doctor King. So I am also interested in contacting anyone who was involved or interested in the DC 68 riot, or any riot history, in any state.