We meet again! This is LOCAL TALKS, a monthly space in which we delve into the history of San Miguel de Allende through its people, its families and its characters who have seen the evolution of the town into a city through their businesses and family traditions. In this third installment, we had the honor and the joy of chatting with someone who has witnessed the transformation of SMA, we are talking about Mrs. Chelo Agundis from the Agundis Pharmacy. 

To put it in context, the Agundis Pharmacy was one of the first three pharmacies that existed in San Miguel. Mrs. Chelo tells us that her parents came here in the 1930s to establish themselves, since the renowned Doctor Jesús Agundis and his wife Consuelo Navarrete arrived as head of the local hospital and its dependencies, and later opened this family business that kept its doors open for many years. 

Chelo Agundis, at 88 years old, has all the vitality and charisma of his 15th birthday, when he started working in his father's pharmacy, learning from him and his elders everything necessary to provide first-class service to his clients. He spent 70 years there in his business, from Monday to Sunday, looking after the health of the people of San Miguel and the occasional visitor who needed it. In this talk, he tells us about the San Miguel where everyone knew each other and said hello; how he had to learn to write prescriptions before the appearance of patent medicines and large chains; and how perseverance and love for what you do is key to a long and prosperous life. 

Without further ado, we share with you the video of our conversation with Mrs. Chelo Agundis, whose legacy continues among the generations that follow her, now in other fields. We are extremely grateful to Mrs. Chelo and her grandson Alfonso, part of the Local SMA Guide team, for the opportunity and time!