Birks Chemists

In 1856 G. N. Birks started working for FH Faulding & Co at their chemist's shop at 5 Rundle Street, Adelaide as a trainee.

In November 1888 they took over F. J. Eyre's newly opened chemist's shop at 6 Rundle Street, which they renamed "Birks Bros.",[8] but relinquished it less than two years later.

The Magareys brought an American drug-store style to the old shop — a marble counter with a soda fountain, syrups and ice-cream, high stools and mirrors.

[1] In 1922 A. K. Newberry joined and restructured the business as a limited liability company, which immediately purchased the property from J. Bakewell[10] for £20,000.

Birks Chemists manufactured numerous pharmaceutical lines: "Marva" brand of rheumatism wafers, influenza wafers, chilblain liniment, cough mixture, and rheumatic mixture; "Sanovia" toothpaste, toilet cream, dentifrice liquid, dentifrice powder, healing ointment, tooth soap, hair tonic, bouquet perfume, bouquet sachets, toilet powder, medical soap, dental suction powder, depilatory powder, sunburn cream and snail killer; "Capilloid" hair dye and hair restorer, and "Acme" corn cure.

In 1920 Birks Chemists became the subject of a legal controversy when they were convicted of illegally selling an alcoholic beverage, Sedna, a "tonic" made from port wine fortified with extracts of coca leaf, kola nut and beef.

[11] In 1933 Birks Chemists bought the premises at 278a Rundle Street near the East End Market and established a pharmacy there, managed by Edgar Lawton, and in 1947 another shop was opened at 147 St Vincent Street, Port Adelaide, managed by Kenneth Wall.