More than a prescription counter
Signs advertise soda, cigars and Kodak film, placing familiar small purchases beside the store's pharmacy business. The Platts family began operating in Port Sanilac in the 1860s. Successive generations kept the business connected with the village for more than a century.
The corner location gave the store a visible place in town. Customers could buy supplies, stop for a drink and encounter neighbors while carrying out other errands. Even the playful roadside wording in the photograph made a sales pitch to people passing through the intersection.
Reading the early village photograph
The camera looks across the crossroads toward the storefront, recording how the business presented itself to customers. The merchandise signs help explain the store's place in everyday life. The accompanying article follows the Platts family and connects the photograph with Port Sanilac's later commercial history.
