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Tobin, Lou

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: September 14, 1910 - June 13, 1988

Biography

Local Jewish pharmacy owner on West Colfax Avenue.

Lou Tobin was born on September 14, 1910. He was born, raised, and spent most of his life on Denver's West Side. He was the only member of his family to attend college, and in the early 1930's, he graduated from the University of Denver with a degree in chemical engineering. He was unable to find a job in the field during the Depression, and instead, he bought books on pharmacy, studied them, and then took the State Board exams. He got his license "by examination" in 1933. He married Elsa Kaplan in 1937, and they had two children, Martin and Sherrie. The couple was married by Rabbi Manuel Laderman. Both children attended Colfax Elementary, Lake Junior High, and North High.

Lou purchased what was to become the original Tobin's Pharmacy on West Colfax and Newton in 1936 from a retiring pharmacist. At the time there were about 5 pharmacies in that area of West Colfax owned by Jewish pharmacists. He operated the drug store until 1948, when he opened a new larger pharmacy several blocks west, and was joined in business by his brother-in-law, Dave Herman. The new pharmacy featured a large front end that displayed cosmetics, over-the-counter medicines, toys, sundries, and household needs.

His future son-in-law, Howard Zeppelin, who went on to marry Sherrie in 1965, worked in the pharmacy alongside Lou, who mentored him. Lou gave Howard the opportunity to purchase the pharmacy in 1969, and Lou continued to work beside him for over 20 years until Lou passed away on June 13, 1988 at the age of 77. He was buried in Golden Hill Cemetery in Lakewood, CO. Howard continued operating Tobin's until 2005, when he was offered a buyout. Tobin's was the last independent drug store on West Colfax.

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

A Legacy of Healing: Early Colorado Jews in Medicine, 2005

 Item
Identifier: B230.03.0023.00004
Abstract

Brief biographies of Jewish men and women who contributed to medicine, the Jewish community, and Colorado. Contains historical photographs and interviews with people who knew some of the early key figures.

Dates: 2005