Gatling's Pharmacy


Company Names, addresses, dates: 1
  George P. Gatling, 94 Main Street, Norfolk VA (1889-1892)
  Gatling Norfolk Pharmacy, 94 Main Street, Norfolk VA (1894)
  Gatling's Model Pharmacy, Monticello Hotel, Granby nr City Hall Av, Norfolk VA (1900-1904)
  Gatling's Pharmacy, 99 Granby Street, Norfolk VA (1905-1910)

Notes:
George Pescud Gatling (1862-1935)2 was a druggist in Richmond and Petersburg in the 1880s. 3
About 1889, he opened a drugstore in Norfolk VA. had a drugstore in Petersburg VA.1
An 1889 newspaper article mentioned that Gatling's Pharmacy had a new fan for his store that is "run by electricity", and that he will "not only give you a most delicious drink, but fan you while you drink it".4

The 1894 city directory (residential section) listed "Gatling & Martin ( (George P Gatling and W R Martin), proprs Gatling Norfolk Pharmacy", so apparently Gatling took on Martin as a partner. The following year (1895), there was not Gatling Pharmacy listed in the city directory, and the store at 94 Main was listed as "William R. Martin" . 1

George P. Gatling doesn't show up in the Norfolk city directoriees from 1896-1899, and the newspaper mentions of Gatling's pharmacy are sketchy during those years.
One article in 1896 says the Gatling Pharmacy Company was moving it's stock and fixtures to Newport News.5
Anoother article in 1897 says the Gatling Pharmacy was one of two businesses that failed that year.6

But things pick up again in 1899, when an ad appeared describing how wonderful "Gatling's Model Pharmacy" was, with all the fixtures in cherry, with some handsomely carved.7
The full address of that pharmacy in the 1900 Norfolk city directory was "Monticello Hotel next to Ladies entrance Granby Street near City Hall Ave".

This effort lasted until 1910, when it was announced that the store was sold to E. B. Cootes, and that Mr Gatling was permanently retiring from the drug business in Norfolk8.


Bottles:

gatlings_05 This is a clear 5" bottle embossed:
horizontal: GATLING'S / NORFOLK / PHARMACY / (mortar & pestle) / 94 MAIN ST. / NORFOLK / VA.
base: W T & CO / I
This is probably the oldest bottle shown here, since it has the older address.
gatlings_03 This is a clear 3.3" (1 oz) bottle embossed:
horizontal: 3i
vertical in script: Gatling's Pharmacy
vertical in banner below script: INCORPORATED
vertical below banner: THE MONITICELLO HOTEL / 99 GRANBY ST. / NORFOLK, VA.
base: S.BROS / BALTO MD
gatlings_01 This is a sun-colored-amythest 4.5" (2 oz) bottle embossed:
horizontal: 2 OZ
vertical: GATLING'S PHARMACY / THE MONITICELLO HOTEL / GRANBY ST, NORFOLK, VA. / BOTH PHONES 816
base: A802
gatlings_04 This is a clear 5.3" (120 CC) bottle embossed:
horizontal: 120 C.C.
vertical: GATLING'S PHARMACY / THE MONITICELLO HOTEL / GRANBY ST., NORFOLK, VA. / BOTH PHONES 816
This bottle is unusual as it lists CCs instead of OZs on the shoulder.
gatlings_02 This is a clear 6.75" (8 oz) bottle embossed:
horizontal: 8 OZ
vertical: GATLING'S PHARMACY / THE MONITICELLO HOTEL / GRANBY ST, NORFOLK, VA / BOTH PHONES 816
base: A808


1 Norfolk City directories, 1851,66,70,72,74,75,77,80,82,83,85,86,88,89,91,92,94,95,97-99,1900-10,12-16,19,20,22,23-25,27,28,30,33-35,38-40,49,51-54,60
2 Find-a-grave entry for George Pescud Gatling
3 Virginian-Pilot 19-Mar-1935, p.2 (Obituary for George Pescud Gatling)
4 Norfolk Landmark, 14-Jun-1889, p.1 (Article: "Gatling's Pharmacy")
5 Public Ledger, 1-Aug-1896, p.3
6 Norfolk Virginian 22-Oct-1897, p.6 (Article: "Two Assignments")
7 Norfolk Landmark, 12-Feb-1899, p.3 (Article: "Gatling's Model Pharmacy")
8 Virginian-Pilot 10-Jul-1910, p.14 (Article: "E.B. Cootes Purchases Gatling Pharmacy")


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This page last updated on December 8, 2025.