New Hampshire town discovers independent pharmacy not easily replaced

[marmar]

via ReclaimDemocracy!:



Chain's Formula: Sell the Drugs, Hold the Service
New Hampshire town discovers independent pharmacy not easily replaced


By Deborah Stone
First Published October 1, 2008 by the Concord (N.H.) Monitor


We were lucky to have a small, pharmacist-owned drug store in Newport for 10 years, until Rite Aid bought out Scarlett Drug this summer. The big chain took the pharmacist and some of his staff into its employ, along with many of the drugstore's devoted customers.

By all accounts, the little pharmacy was thriving in a Main Street storefront, even though it had opened its doors long after Rite Aid had staked out one corner of the town's major intersection. The Little Druggist That Could filled almost three times as many prescriptions per month as the big chain.

Any of its customers could explain why.

When you walked into Scarlett Drug, you were greeted by name by anyone who happened to be behind the counter. You made small talk about each other's families and caught up on the news. Often people waiting for their prescriptions sat in chairs, two against each side wall, out of the way but still close enough to partake of the chitchat. If you had questions about a prescription, Kevin Scarlett would come out from behind his lectern, take you off to a quiet corner, and talk with you warmly, patiently and discreetly.

When you walk into Rite Aid, you can't even see the pharmacy counter, it's so far back behind mounds of consumer goods, most of which have little or nothing to do with health. To reach the pharmacy, you have to wend your way between beach chairs and boogie boards, kitchen gadgets and cookware sets, Homer Simpson pillows and SpongeBob SquarePants dolls, panty hose and stick-on eyelashes, auto vacuums and 130-piece ratchet sets, or, if you choose that route, an entire aisle of beer, including a few of the "healthy" lite varieties. .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://reclaimdemocracy.org/articles/2008/riteaid_newhampshire_service.php

[tosh]

1. Thanks marmar, with all my heart,

from a surviving-but-bruised independent small town pharmacy.

[marmar]

2. You're most welcome....and best of luck to you......

I despise having to walk past aisles and aisles of candy, cheap toys and coffemakers just to find the pharmacy at these monstrous Rite Aids, CVSes and Walgreens.

[Daemonaquila]

7. Keep up the good work -

we appreciate our REAL pharmacists and pharmacies!

[Land Shark]

3. I'll contact a pharmacist i know, see how entrepreneurial she feels... nt

[Land Shark]

4. deleted duplicate

[rockymountaindem]

5. I'd recommend this 20 times if I could

Thanks for posting it.

[Tracer]

6. There are two chain drugstores in my town:

CVS and Rite Aid.

There is also a small independent drugstore, run by two young brothers.

That is where I go.

I would MUCH rather support these two HELPFUL pharmacists than to dump my dollars at the chains.

[rucky]

8. There is a big box backlash going on.

Even in these tough times, enough people are willing to pay a bit more for good service.

[philly_bob]

9. Big pharmacy competes with smaller -- and drives out diner.

In my small Pennsylvania town (Phoenixville), there was once an excellent old-style pharmacy and a 24-hour diner nearby. In the last couple years, a big drug store chain bought and tore down the diner to build a new-style pharmacy.

Net result: no 24-hour diner, David v. Goliath competition for the old-style pharmacy.

[bean fidhleir]

10. K&R Human-owned businesses of any kind aren't easy to replace. (nt)

[OakCliffDem]

11. What? Wal Mart is not just as good? I'm shocked

Shocked I tell you.:sarcasm: