KITCHENER — Three letters hang high on the wall, toward the back of the former pharmacy: RIP.

They're a reminder of days past, the last remnants of a baker's dozen of letters spelling out the word Prescriptions high above the counter.

But those three letters have taken on a poignant significance in recent weeks, as a longtime Kitchener business, and its longtime owner, prepare to take a final bow.

For nearly 60 years, Michael Fritsch has been a fixture in downtown Kitchener, as owner of the single-storey building at 201 King St. W. and the eponymous pharmacy-turned-fragrance shop that has occupied that space for all those years.

Remarkably, his connection to the property dates back even further, back to the days when a young Fritsch began working as a delivery boy for the pharmacy's then-owner, Erwin Fahrner.

Fritsch would have been about 11 years old at the time, he estimates. He'll turn 88 in June.

"If things had not all happened to me, I had intended to retire when I was 90," Fritsch says.

"I don't believe you," grandson Robert Nyman interjects. "You would have said 95."

Standing in the shop that's played such a starring role in his life, Fritsch smiles. "That's possible."

The "things" that happened began last June, when Fritsch, alone in the locked store, fell. Fortunately, passersby spotted him through the window and called for help.

Up until then, Fritsch had dutifully opened the store almost every day, even as the walk-in traffic looking for his higher-end and harder-to-find perfumes and colognes declined. 

But family members — Fritsch and his wife, Margaret, have three daughters and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren — had already been thinking about the business, and what might come next for the building.

"If anything, this just sort of accelerated the process," Nyman says. "It was a trigger to put everything in motion."

If all goes according to plan, the Fritsch name won't disappear from King Street with the closure of Fritsch Fragrances. Nyman has an idea in mind for a different type of business that could carry on at 201 King after some much-needed renovations.

"If we have it our way, we'll keep it all in the family," he says. "That's the main goal."

But he doesn't want to reveal too much just yet. "I don't like to get ahead of myself," he says. "I like to under-promise and over-deliver."

Nyman likens it to a book. "To have a transition into revitalizing the business, you have to close the chapter."

On March 24 and 25, Fritsch Fragrances will open its doors to customers one last time.

It's a chance to clear out some of the store's considerable remaining inventory. There are hundreds of bottles, some current, some that have become vintage by virtue of having sat in the store for decades. There are classic brands, such as Chanel and Dior, and names such as Cravache and 4711, known as the original eau de cologne. A "buy one, get two free" offer should entice customers, Nyman says.

"It's almost a celebration as well," he says, adding the family is hopeful that Fritsch himself will be able to make an appearance over the weekend.

In recent weeks, the family has made a concerted effort to organize and clean out the still somewhat-crowded store.

It's a bit like sorting through a time capsule filled with old bottles, vintage ads, and throwbacks to Fritsch's pharmacy days, such as the scale and weights sitting atop a counter.

"What I sell isn't a big turnover thing," Fritsch says of his fragrances. "The big companies wanted things turned over every month. I didn't turn it over, and I bought more stock."

Fritsch picks up a bottle of perfume, Chantilly by Houbigant, probably dating from the 1970s or 1980s. "It's a beautiful bottle," he says.

In a lifetime of memories, a few career milestones stand out. Earning his pharmacy degree, and purchasing the business in 1959 following Fahrner's death. A 1960s remodelling that gave the shop a fresh, modern look.

Druggist Mike in his New Store Circa 1960

He cultivated a loyal following among connoisseurs and collectors alike. "I determined to specialize in things the big stores didn't sell," he says. "There was a limited but sufficient demand for what I had."

Mike and his Grandson Robert Nyman

As Fritsch grew older, well into his retirement years, the store became more of a hobby for him. Often, people would drop by just to say hello, not to make a purchase.

After Fritsch's fall inside the store last summer, Nyman and his aunt did their best to keep things going, with online sales and occasional opening hours. They'd arrange visits as often as possible for Fritsch, who dearly missed his second home.

But the time had come to wind things down. "It's just not a sustainable business," Nyman says.

Fritsch knows it's necessary. Still, there's a hint of hesitation in his voice. "I'm pretty well set that this is going to happen, and that it has to happen," he says.

Recent photo in the Record, showing the cast of a theatre group, which is performing on stage, on King Street, gives Mike free advertising, "FRITSCH FRAGANCE INC."


More Free Advertising for Fritsch 17/08/19
He must pay the Press Photographer