E. A. Calder, formerly a clerk for Albert Calder, opened his own apothecary at 159 High Street in 1867. He ran the shop until his death in 1892 when his wife, Virginia C. Calder, took over.

She began putting out her own brand of tooth powder along with other toilet preparations and in 1896 was located at 1170 Elmwood Avenue in Providence.

In 1899 she was also running employment parlors as well as continuing to manufacture her tooth powder. She now had an office located at 420 Westminister Street.

Virginia quit the tooth powder business on 1902 and kept the employment business until quitting altogether and retiring in 1905.