Kiehl's

Kiehl's Pharmacy is legendary. I will give only a brief synopsis here of this remarkable company, since their history is long with many details - I recommend you click here for an in depth article about Kiehl's and try to visit the original shop. This NYC institution was established in 1951 at its current location in the East Village at 109 Third Avenue as an apothecary by John Kiehl, selling a variety of herbal and homeopathic remedies. Irving Morse, the son of a Russian immigrant family, apprenticed to Kiehl and obtained a degree in pharmacology from Columbia University. He purchased the store in 1921. His son Aaron, also studied pharmacology at Columbia and in the 1950s became active in the business; in the 1960s he took over the business. In the 1960s the pharmacy was phased out and Kiehl's began developing it's own natural care products for which they are famous today. In time, Kiehl's began selling to upscale stores beginning with Neiman Marcus in 1975. In 1988, Aaron's daughter Jami took over with her husband, Olympic skier Klaus Heidegger. Kiehl's has a very distinct character going back to its inception. Historically, the focus has been on high quality, natural products with a lack of emphasis on packaging and marketing - they have had a virtual cult following of patrons, including many celebrities. In 2000, the company was purchased by L'Oreal. There are now stores worldwide. However, efforts have been made to maintain a commitment to Kiehl's roots and the imprint made by Aaron Morse and the family ...