Merz Apothecary

On the Grid : Merz Apothecary

"This apothecary is the real deal. They have a 140-year-old history and have grown through 5 generations. It’s not your average drugstore—they focus on herbal medicines and natural products using organic ingredients. From ice bags to skincare to perfume to salves and everything in-between, they have it all. They claim to have the largest collection of natural and luxury soaps from around the world under one roof. If you’re ever looking for a rare pharmaceutical product, they will most likely have it. Have an ailment? Talk to their staff and they will happily help you find something for the cure. Connected to Merz is their newest addition, Q Brothers, a men's shop with all the products men could need to care for their hairy bods." - Knoed Creative

7 Cool Shops in Chicago

"Before medicines came in pill form, pharmacists at the local apothecary blended mysterious powders and liquids to relieve everyday ailments and serious illnesses. About 20 years after aspirin was invented, and 80 years before polio was eradicated in the United States, a modest pharmacist named Peter Merz opened his shop on the north side of Chicago. The year was 1875. Though pharmacists did fill prescriptions written out by doctors, more often than not they played the role of doctor themselves, recommending their own remedies and preparing them for their familiar clientele. Rather than call his shop a pharmacy, Merz followed the European tradition and named it an “apothecary.” Immigrants fresh from Sweden and Germany and other parts of Europe flocked to this old world chemist. The salespeople spoke many languages, and their reputation grew. After over a century of success, and three generations of pharmacists, the store was on the verge of closing in 1972, when a young pharmacist offered to buy the shop. The store moved in 1982, a few miles down the street, to a larger space. The new building was designed to resemble a turn-of-the-century apothecary, complete with a hand-carved wooden facade, tin ceilings, and oak cabinets. The glass bottles originally used to store herbs added extra authenticity to the interior. The inventory has expanded since 1875 to include skin care and hygiene products, as well as a large selection of homeopathic medicine, vitamins and other natural remedies. The shop maintains its connection to European care and delicacy in the soaps and lotions it carries from France, Sweden, and other places. The shop still smells like a pharmacy in 1875. A melange of bitters, tea tree oil, chamomile, and harsher fragrances sift through the air. But while the aromas may be a century old, the remedies for sale are as modern as any drugstore." - ATLAS_OBSCURA

"Stepping in here is the closest thing to time travel. Peter Merz opened this North Side institution in 1875 to resemble the European apothecaries his customers were missing, and other than moving to a bigger space in the 80s, it really hasn’t changed much: Holistic remedies and herbal tinctures (rounded out by a massive selection of vitamins and supplements) are displayed in their original antique jars, while natural skincare and beauty products from modern day favorites like Dr. Hauschka, Klorane, and Jao line the shelves. There’s also an equally well-stocked downtown location. "

"Merz Apothecary, Lincoln Square. This apothecary is the real deal. They have a 140-year-old history and have grown through 5 generations. It’s not your average drugstore—they focus on herbal medicines and natural products using organic ingredients. From ice bags to skincare to perfume to salves and everything in-between, they have it all. They claim to have the largest collection of natural and luxury soaps from around the world under one roof. If you’re ever looking for a rare pharmaceutical product, they will most likely have it. Have an ailment? Talk to their staff and they will happily help you find something for the cure. Connected to Merz is their newest addition, Q Brothers, a men's shop with all the products men could need to care for their hairy bods."

"Leaded-glass windows with gold leaf and hand-painted signage, custom woodwork, tin ceilings and twinkling chandeliers: step into this family-run pharmacy and, clichéd as it might sound, you’ll feel as if you’ve been transported to a traditional apothecary in 1800s Vienna. In 1875, Peter Merz founded a small pharmacy focused on herbal remedies and, after being purchased by Abdul Qaiyum in 1972, the business expanded and moved to its current location. Choose between Santa Maria Novella soaps, Byredo fragrances and Dr Hauschka skincare before nipping next door to the more modern The Shops at Merz, featuring men’s grooming specialist Q Brothers."