Tucked away in a quiet side street of the quaint neighborhood of Moda in Istanbul’s Kadıköy district, Yeni Moda pharmacy stands the test of time. This is one of the oldest pharmacies in the city, tracing its roots to 119 years ago, in the last years of Ottoman Empire. Melih Ziya Sezer is younger than the pharmacy, at the age of 89, and adheres to his father’s legacy as the sole staff of the place.
Unlike the overwhelmingly white interior of modern pharmacies, Yeni (New) Moda takes visitors into the history of pharmacies with its distinct interior. Decades-old dark brown wooden panels give a museum-like quality to the pharmacy. Indeed, carefully organized shelves contain an odd mix of modern medicine with medicines dating back to the early days of the Republic and the Ottoman era, placed as historic objects. At the back, a small room with a sign on the door reading “laboratory” gives Sezer a space to prepare traditional handcrafted medicines. Next to the counter where a computer stands, among the few modern objects inside the pharmacy, two big cabinets appear intimidating with signs reading “strong poisons” and “mild poisons.” Inside them are poisons indeed, as they were commonly used, in minor doses, to prepare medicines decades ago.
The pharmacy was originally established in 1902 under the name of “Eczane-i Saadet” (Pharmacy of Bliss) by Faik Iskender Bey in another quarter of Kadıköy. It later moved to its current place in 1928 and its name was changed to Moda Pharmacy. But all of its interior, from cabinets to other materials, were moved to the new pharmacy, which was purchased in 1936 by Melih Ziya Sezer’s father. Since 1950, Melih Ziya Sezer has run the pharmacy.
