Dorchester County · Marker 18-23
Guerin's Pharmacy
140 S. Main St., Summerville
Front inscription
Guerin’s Pharmacy, founded in 1871 by Henry C. Guerin, is the oldest operating pharmacy in S.C. Guerin was a Charleston physician who served as Chief Commissary for S.C. during the Civil War. Afterwards he moved to Summerville and bought Schweatman Drug Store, which was operating from the home of Mrs. R.W. Myers. Guerin moved the business to a frame building at its current site. Henry’s son Joseph Guerin received his pharmacy degree in 1892 and took over the business.
Reverse inscription
About 1895 the one-story building was replaced by a two-story wooden structure that was brick veneered with a one-story addition in 1925. Herbert Dunning was hired as pharmacist in 1910 and eventually owned the drug store. After Herbert’s death in 1975 his nephew Charles Dunning bought the drug store. Upon Charles’ death in 2014 his daughter Barbara became pharmacist in charge. Guerin’s Pharmacy is the oldest continuously operating business in Summerville.