Lewkowitz, Milton

Biography

Milton (Milt) Lewkowitz was born in Denver in 1915 and attended East High School. His Jewish parents, Selma and Isidor, immigrated from Germany, and met on the ship that brought them to the U.S. Milton was the youngest of four children. His older brother, Earl, was a pharmacist and a father figure to Milt. Following Earl's advice to make something of himself, Milt attended Capitol College of Pharmacy in Colorado, and his license was issued by the state of Colorado in 1945. After graduating, he worked for his brother, and then at Marcove Drug, before he opened a store of his own. Milt opened his store, Denham Drug, named after the Denham Building and Denham movie theater across the street from his own store, at the corner of 18th Street and California Street in downtown Denver. Milt's wife Eudice also worked at the pharmacy. At the time, most drug stores also sold liquor, but in order to do so a pharmacist had to be on duty. Milton ended up working from 8AM until midnight. After a rumor that the store was going to be robbed, they started closing the store at 7PM. In 1960, Milt sold the building and moved Denham Drug across the street to the Roosevelt Hotel building, although he was forced due to lack of space to remove the soda fountain, which he donated to the Sisters of Mercy at Mercy Hospital. Milt used a traditional mordar and pestle, as well as a typewriter to make prescription labels. Milt and Eudice sold the building and bought a property on 20th and Welton Street, intending to build a store. Instead, they decided to retire, but this was short lived. A friend approached him with an offer to go into business with him and open a store near Union Station, the Oxford Drug. There, Milton developed a thriving business that included two small stores side by side, a liquor store and a drug store, with no pharmacy counter. Milton’s career spanned half a century.