After studying pharmacy in Wellington, the Southland-raised Mr Crombie bought Bremner’s Pharmacy in Thames St and Crombie the Chemist opened its doors. Mr Crombie settled into life in Thames St for 15 years before "an extraordinary thing happened", he says. After some hesitation, Crombie and Price was formed with an Invercargill partner and Mr Crombie owned "the national tonic". About 1975, Mr Crombie took advantage of import licensing when a Wellington perfume company "hit the wall" and he bought it. "Those big drug companies, they used to import a tremendous range of pharmaceutical sundries," Mr Crombie says.

Source: Otago Daily Times October 15, 2016 17:03 UTC