The drug establishment of Strong & Armstrong stands foremost in that
branch of the business of Cleveland and has achieved a wide reputation,
having an extensive trade not only through Northern Ohio, but in Indiana,
Michigan and Pennsylvania, drawing custom away from Pittsburgh, Cincinnati
and Detroit in territory previously considered naturally tributary to
those places.
S. M. Strong, the leading partner of the firm, is a native Buckeye, having
been born in Lorain County, Ohio, in 1833. His boyhood was spent in
acquiring a good common school education, after obtaining which he became
clerk in a drug store at Elyria, entering it at the age of sixteen and
remaining about two years when, in 1850, he accompanied his employer, who
removed to Cleveland, and remained with him there three years more.
At the end of that time, he entered Gaylord's drug store, in which he
continued about two years, when he turned his attention to pushing a
fever and ague remedy which he had been at work on for several years
previous. Four years he devoted to this work, finding a partial success,
and then he formed a partnership with A. C. Armstrong, of Medina county,
for the purpose of building up a wholesale and retailing business. The
business of Henderson & Punderson, which was established in 1836, was
purchased, and the new firm of Strong & Armstrong opened business in the
old place, No. 199 Superior street. At first the business was carried on
in a limited way, the total of jobbing and retail sales for the first year
amounting to but $75,000. But the partners were young, energetic, and full
of hope. They pushed their trade vigorously, attended closely to the
details of the business, and mingled enterprise with prudent economy so
well that they were soon gratified at finding their business annually
growing larger and more profitable. In less than ten years their trade has
grown from about $75,000 in a year to over $600,000, and their limited
establishment so enlarged as to require the services of twenty-four
assistants. The business, though large, has been managed with such care
and prudence as to render losses very light and litigation almost wholly
unnecessary.