PEARL AND CHARLES PARRISH

In Front Of Their Store

Thanks to Mara Comer for providing this photo of her grandparents in front of the Parrish Drug Store store. In 1903, Charles Parrish graduated as a pharmacist from the Ferris Institute in Big Rapids, MI. He married Pearl A. Braman, also a graduate pharmacist. In 1913 he built the structure which now houses Saugatuck Drug Store.

From the Feb. 14, 1913 Commercial Record

In his Commercial Record column Around Town dated Sept. 5, 1913, Alex. Thompson writes:

The fine new brick building erected this year, is an ornament to the town and would be to any town. If our enterprising druggist goes on in his prosperity he will soon be able to wait upon customers in a swallow tailed coat, and will not only have the swell place, but be the swell citizen of the town.

They operated their store for fifty years. Pearl passed away in 1949. Charles retired in 1953 and was succeeded by James D. Christensen. Charles and Pearl are both buried at Riverside Cemetery.

--- Chris Yoder