Photos and Video
- Bonvin House, 27 van Wyk Street, Roodepoort
Geoff Boner's father, Louis, owned a pharmacy called Boner's Pharmacy in the centre of the business area of Roodepoort. It was at 27 van Wyk Street, near the beginning of Berger Street. His wife's family, the Kavins, helped him to buy the building, which they called Bonvin House. In 1954 he sold the pharmacy to Marc Herson. The pharmacy in 2024 still has the name of Mark Herson, as can be seen in this photograph from Google Earth.
Geoff Boner says:
"It is amazing that the building is still occupied by a pharmacy and doctor's rooms. There are three shops on the street level of the building with one housing the pharmacy. Mark Herson bought the pharmacy from my father in 1954, and it is still named after him. I have no idea who owns or runs the pharmacy now. The upper floor consisted of offices, which as can be seen is still a collection of doctor's offices. I do not know who bought the building from my father and who owns it today. To the left of the pharmacy there is a used car lot. There used to be a building with two shops facing the street. The one nearest to my father's shop was the gift shop of the Karpas family, relatives of Brian Joss, and further to the left was the clothing store of Barney Greenberg. Apparently, this building burnt down at some time and was never built again. Read the Boner family story on the Families page."
