C.O. Bigelow

Greenwich Village

New York City

Art & Culture | History

Historical Apothecary with a Nice Selection of Beauty Products

About C.O. Bigelow

& why it made the Carpe City list

Opened in 1838, C.O. Bigelow is the oldest apothecary in America and was founded by Dr. Galen Hunter.
Originally named Village Apothecary Shoppe, the store was renamed when Clarence Otis Bigelow bought it in 1880.
In 1902, Bigelow moved the shop two doors down to 6th Avenue and 9th Street, where it still stands today. The property is as an interior landmark, meaning the floors, ceiling, and fixtures are original.
The Ginsberg family has owned the store since 1939 and has collected more than 10,000 vintage pharmacy and beauty items.
- Check out the 100-pound vintage cash register or the thank-you letter from Eleanor Roosevelt!
Famous customers include Thomas Edison, Mark Twain, Susan Sarandon, Sarah Jessica Parker, Diane von Furstenberg, Liv Tyler, and Christina Ricci.
If you decide to visit, be sure to look for one of the store’s most popular products, Bigelow’s Lemon Body Cream.
- Many of their skin care and bath products are popular and they carry a wide variety of hard-to-find cosmetics and homeopathic remedies.

Carpe City Trivia

Bigelow fills pet prescriptions!

Medications for pets account for 5-10% of their weekly prescription fillings. Want that medication tuna or salmon flavored to satisfy your pooch’s discerning palate? They can do that too!