Nov 19, 2018 5 min read

Sure, there’s a location on every corner, but when it comes to getting personalized service, a large pharmacy chain can be a tough pill to swallow (pun intended). That’s because there’s just something “extra” you get with a locally owned, family-operated pharmacy — and it’s not just nostalgia. From convenience to technology, local pharmacies have service in the (white paper) bag.

It’s all about family

Regardless of who’s sharing your roof, you have a whole community family around you — and you want a pharmacy that treats you as such.

“Most of my adult career has been spent in Washington County,” said Chris Vermilya, owner and pharmacist at The Medicine Shoppe in Washington. “We pride ourselves on a family atmosphere.”

That’s easy in this case, as Vermilya works alongside his wife, Kathleen, also a pharmacist. His son, Hunter, is now in his second year of pharmacy school, with hopes of joining the family business one day. But for Vermilya, each person who walks through the doors is a family member.

“Our motto has always been that if you treat people well, they’ll come back,” he said. And it’s worked. The Medicine Shoppe, which opened in 1977, has been owned and operated by the Vermilya family since 2000.

’Business hours only’ doesn’t apply

You’ve likely been there. You’re leaving town in the morning and realize at 9 p.m. you forgot to refill your prescription. Or perhaps you’ve taken your sick child to an urgent care clinic after hours, only to wonder where you’ll get his or her prescribed medication. When you have a relationship with a local pharmacy, chances are you can get what you need when you’re in a bind or have an emergency.

“After hours, my customers can call my personal cellphone,” Vermilya said. “I pick up the call and come meet them. Our emergency service is 24 hours.”

You can make a trip … or not

Like that old theme song says, sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. But sometimes, you don’t want to go anywhere, regardless of whether your pharmacy knows what to call you. Both are options when you’re working with a service-oriented local pharmacy.

“We offer free delivery right to your door,” Vermilya said. “We also have a refill reminder program, so if you opt in to that, we’ll automatically refill your medications and bring them to you.”

While delivery might be something large pharmaceutical chains have been doing for some time, mail-order service isn’t always so convenient.

“I’ve had three customers in the last few days express their frustration with mail-order service,” Vermilya said. “They don’t always get their refills on time. If your medication is sitting on a loading dock somewhere, there’s not much you can do. But with personal service, we’ll do everything we can to get your prescription filled quickly.”

It’s high(er) tech

If you thought national chains had the edge on pharmaceutical technology, think again. Some “mom and pop” shops are anything but old-fashioned. The Medicine Shoppe, for example, is implementing a new software program that offers its customers a convenient, easy-to-use app to request refills, check order status or even ask a pharmacist a question. That means you’ll never have to wait for your pharmacy to open to place an order or ask a question.

It’s the little things

Sure, you want your prescriptions filled correctly and on time. But sometimes, a little added convenience makes all the difference. If you take multiple medications at different times each day, The Medicine Shoppe has a convenient solution.

“We’ll package all your doses together, so you have one packet with all your morning medications, another packet for midday and one for evening,” Vermilya said. “That way you’re not carrying around a bunch of prescription bottles. And if you leave town, just tear off as many doses as you need. Everything is labeled with the medications and the dosage time.”

That’s just one example of the kind of personalized service you’ll get from a local shop. For many others, just head into The Medicine Shoppe.

“That’s really what it’s about,” Vermilya said. “We’re small in size but big on service.”

A journalism graduate from Brigham Young University, Kristen has experience writing in a variety of fields, including art and culture, health and fitness and financial and real estate services. Kristen has written for USA Today, SFGate and the Knot.

This article is brought to you by The Medicine Shoppe.