Trant's Monroe Pharmacy


Company Names, addresses, dates: 1
  Albin S. Trant, 502 4th Street, Portsmouth VA (1907-1908)
  Trant & Pierce, 340 High Street, Portsmouth VA (1910)
  Trant & Pierce, 338-340 High Street, Portsmouth VA (1911)
  Monroe Pharmacy, 338-340 High Street, Portsmouth VA (1912)
  Trant's Monroe Pharmacy, 338-340 High Street, Portsmouth VA (1913-1924)
  Trant's Pharmacy, 338-340 High Street, Portsmouth VA (1925)
  Trant's Pharmacy, 341 High Street, Portsmouth VA (1927-1953)
      (2nd store)
  Trant's Pharmacy, 500 N Elm Avenue, Portsmouth VA (1927-1938)

      Related Store
  Trant & Pierce, 430 4th Street, Portsmouth VA (1910-1911)
  Pierce's Prescription Pharmacy, 430 4th Street, Portsmouth VA (1912)
  Fourth Ward Pharmacy, 430 4th Street, Portsmouth VA (1913-1914)

Notes:
 In the early 1900s, Albin Shepherd Trant (1882-1953)2 was a drug clerk, working at A.L. Bilisoly's pharmacy. By 1907 he owned his own drugstore, located at 502 4th Street.1

By 1910 he had teamed up with David M. Pierce, with Pierce running the drug store on 4th Street (the "Fourth Ward Pharmacy") and Trant running a store at 340 High Street (the "Monroe Pharmacy"). 1
Apparently it was called the "Monroe Pharmacy" because it was located at the same corner as the Monroe Hotel.3

Trant ran his drugstore for about 45 years, before he passed away. His nickname was "Beanie".3

After he passed away, Trant's sister Mrs. Ada Trant Butt was the owner of the store, and Mr. W.A. Plate was the manager. Plate had planed to buy the store and the sale was almost closed when the building caught on fire, damaging the Pharmacy and causing it to close for good. 4


Trant & Pierce Bottles:
trant_04 This is a clear 3.5" BIM bottle embossed:
vertical: TRANT & PIERCE / DRUGGISTS / PORTSMOUTH, VA.



Trants Monroe Pharmacy Bottles:
trant_02 This is a clear 8.3" bottle embossed:
slanted-vertical: Trant's / Monroe Pharmacy / PORTSMOUTH VA
backside: Trant's
trant_01 These bottles are embossed the same as the one above, but they're smaller. They are clear 5.3" & 4.3" bottles embossed:
slanted-vertical: Trant's / Monroe Pharmacy / PORTSMOUTH VA
backside: TRANTS
base (right bottle only): C L G CO / 3
trant_03 This is a clear 3.5" bottle embossed:
slanted-vertical: Trant's / Monroe Pharmacy
base: 1 / C L G CO / 2


1 Portsmouth VA city directories, years 1851,72,74-75,80,82-83,85-86,89-90,92,97,1900-05,07-08,10-15,17-20,22,24-5,27,30,36-42,44-47,49,51,53-54,56,58-60
2 Find-a-grave entry for Albin Shepherd Trant
3 Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, 28-Aug-1953, p.36 (obituary for Albin S. Trant)
4 Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, 13-Jan-1954, p.3 ("Fire Damages Kirn Building In Portsmouth")


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This page last updated on August 27, 2026.