A.C. Boles Chemist occupies the northern corner of the junction between South Circular Road and Dolphin’s Barn. On the upper level on both sides, red lettering spells out the nature of the business: C-H-E-M-I-S-T, in plastic letters, and P-R-E-S-C-R-I-P-T-I-O-N, painted on. The lower part of the shopfront is in muted primary colours, with lemon yellow as a backdrop, blue on the shutters and base, and raised red letters.
I always have a bit of doubt when it comes to identifying shopfronts that look like bakelite, especially when there are glass examples and plenty of other synthetic materials too with a similar effect. Judging by the smashed panel on the South Circular Road face, I’m going to guess that these are plastic panels rather than bakelite, but I’ll gladly accept correction. Whatever the exact material, it’s gorgeous.
There’s a smaller version of the red lettering on the return of the building too, stepped back behind another South Circular shopfront:
