Built in 1880, this Italianate Revival building is located on the northeast corner of Fifth and Market Street. Occupied first by a dry-goods store, the building is best remembered for the Ferris and Ferris Drug Store, an all-night pharmacy, which operated on the ground floor there until 1984. According to the San Diego Historical Society’s Images of America San Diego Gaslamp Quarter:
“Many [sailors] who had been in altercations purchased leeches from the store to reduce swelling and avoid getting in trouble with superior officers.”
Another odd bit of interesting random trivia is that Gregory Peck‘s father apparently worked as the pharmacist at Ferris and Ferris for many years.
The ground floor is currently home to the restaurant, Searsucker.
The upper floors were once known as the “Monroe Hotel” with an entrance from 5th street, although I have been unable to pinpoint why it held this name.
The building is named after Edward McGurck the original owner of the building. For further details about the building’s structural details, click here.
