Dr. Howard Bolling may be 81 years old, but he has no plans on retiring, even after looters gutted his pharmacy in Chicago's Roseland neighborhood.
“Many items were taken, mostly inventory, but the thing that hurts the most was my information," Bolling said. "They stole the computer, which had all of the data of my customers."
Roseland Pharmacy has been a staple in the South Side community since 1973. For community residents, this has been much more than a pharmacy, it’s been more like a gathering place, especially for young men like Eric Wilkins.
“We don’t have that many black elders that sit in his position, who is in position to not only guide us, but to lead by example,” he explained.
After word got out that the pharmacy had been targeted by looters, an online fundraiser was started. The original goal was to raise $19,000, but as of Tuesday, more than double that amount has already been raised.
Now, local residents are saying they hope Dr. Bolling reopens. He plans to do just that, as he has no plans to close, and would like to celebrate his 50th anniversary on this corner.
“We have a vested interest in this community and we really want to see Roseland rise from the ashes. And we believe it will," he said.
