Labow Pharmacy
Located on the southwest corner of Boulevard Saint-Laurent Boulevard and Rue Rachel, the Labow Pharmacy was a fixture of the Plateau, starting in the 1930’s. Described by his son Stanley as ‘not a communist, but close’, founder Issie Labow was known to speak several languages (including Polish and Portuguese) and famous for practicing medicine ‘on the side’ – which often included mixing his own ointments.
Issie was also passionate about education, offering dozens of scholarships to students who would not otherwise have been able to afford tuition. When the pharmacy closed its doors in the late 90’s, Louis Rastelli of Archive Montreal happened upon the sign in a nearby alley and kept it safely stored for over 20 years. A chance encounter between Louis and Chrys Vilvang of the Montreal Signs Project led to this wonderful donation.
This is a thermo-formed exterior sign, intended for illumination from the rear. Note the earlier modification, with the addition of an initial ‘M’ superceding the initial ‘I’, which is stil just visible underneath.