Chicago, Illinois
Founded by Abdul Qaiyum and Anthony Qaiyum
Smallflower has a history that begins long before online shopping existed. Its roots go back to 1875, when Swiss-German pharmacist Peter Merz opened Merz Apothecary in Chicago, creating a neighborhood destination for traditional remedies, personal care, and advice from people who really knew their products.
Nearly a century later, in 1972, pharmacist Abdul Qaiyum purchased the business when it was facing closure. Under the Qaiyum family's ownership, the apothecary continued to grow while preserving the personal service and international selection that made it a Chicago institution.
In 1998, Abdul and his son Anthony launched Smallflower.com, bringing the experience of an old-world apothecary to an online audience.
Today, Smallflower offers a carefully selected assortment of fragrances, skincare, bath and body products, grooming essentials, and wellness goods from around the world. It's the kind of shop where you might arrive looking for a particular soap and leave having discovered an entirely new fragrance house.
More than 150 years after Merz Apothecary first opened, Smallflower continues to connect generations of product knowledge with the pleasure of discovering something new. And for Chicago locals, the original spirit of the business lives on at Merz Apothecary in Lincoln Square.
