Norton's Drug Store

Norton's Drug Store was a pharmacy located at 2nd Avenue North and 20th Street. It was founded by Edward Norton in 1891 and operated by him until his death in 1909, at which time his widow, Roxy, took charge of the business and merged it with the Consolidated Drug Company.

Mrs Norton's operation of the large retail drug store was notable because she was one of the few female business owners in Birmingham and one of the few female druggists in the United States at the time. It was also notable for her adoption of typewriters for correspondence and prescription labels. Fred Dugan and Arnold Massberg, Jr managed the pharmacy department at different times.

After her death in 1916 the store remained in operation and moved two blocks up to 330 20th Street, on the corner of 4th Avenue North. It was bought from David Letaw by a partnership which included B. L. Snellgrove and B. F. Turner in 1921. Turner sold his interests a year later.

References

• "The Typewriter in the Retail Drug Store" (March 1912) American Druggist and Pharmaceutical Record, p. 57