The invasion of chain drug stores into communities has made the independent pharmacy a dying breed. Indeed, in Kingston there is only one locally owned pharmacy left—Nekos-Dedrick’s, located in Uptown at 86 North Front. Until two Mondays ago, when a second locally owned pharmacy opened in a storefront on Broadway, right smack in Midtown.
If you happened to notice the new sign reading “Kingston Pharmacy” where the Muddy Cup café had been, across from the YMCA, perhaps you too thought you were dreaming. After all, the concrete parking lot of the new Walgreen’s store, located about 10 blocks farther down Broadway, was hardly dry, and even closer by was the Rite Aid. Amid such competition, what independent pharmacist had the nerve to hang out his shingle?
Sri Talla, owner of Kingston Pharmacy
The Kingston Pharmacy is staffed by pharmacist Sri Talla, one of several partners who own three drug stores in Newburgh. Asked how he would compete, Talla had a simple answer: service. He offers free delivery and a wait time “no longer than five or 10 minutes.” Plus, he said, a person answers the phone.
Talla said he and his partners scouted out Kingston last summer. The location on Broadway is ideal because it is located near the hospitals and medical offices, senior living places and many homes. The Kingston Pharmacy will supply its clients with “blister packs”—pills that pop out of plastic package—which the chains won’t do, Talla said. For now, he is the only staff, but once business picks up, he plans to hire a dedicated driver and a couple of technicians.
While the shelves looked a little sparse, Talla said the store is a full-service pharmacy and stocks canes, walkers, wheel chairs, and a few other items the big boxes don’t carry. He ran an ad in last Sunday’s Daily Freeman to drum up interest. The store’s currently open Monday through Friday from 9 to 6, although Talla soon plans to extend hours to Saturday.
Talla, who was born and raised in India and immigrated to the U.S. for his pharmaceutical training, said if a customer without insurance needed to purchase medication costing $100 but only had $95, the store would provide it. (An employee at a chain couldn’t do this without losing his or her job, he said.) “I can be more flexible, and we also have charge accounts.” Talla said his prices are also competitive. “I don’t need a fancy building like the Walgreen’s,” he said. “They pay a premium for the building.” And even though the chains get volume discounts, “they don’t pass on the savings.”
Unlike Kingston Pharmacy, Nekos-Dedrick’s Pharmacy has deep roots in
Nekos Dedrick's
Kingston: the two names derive from drug stores that were here a century ago. But Michael Smith, manager of the durable medical equipment department (DME), agreed that personal service, as well as a high level of expertise among staff, sets the independent business apart. The 22 employees include certified nurses, who assist customers in the DME dept., which accounts for two thirds of the store. Smith said that Nekos-Dedrick’s compound lab department is also special: pharmacists use raw ingredients to make medicated dog chews, liquid forms of medications for people who have trouble swallowing pills, and medicated lollipops and gum chews for kids. Customers also love the old-fashioned soaps and other traditional items that were once common at the druggist’s.
Smith noted that because of these unique services, “the chains are our biggest referrals. They don’t compete with us, they compete against each other.” Smith said the store’s location in Uptown is also an advantage. It has its own parking lot, and in the back is an area providing handicapped access, which is essential given the large number of elderly clientele.
