Park Ave. Pharmacy, newly opened at 1375 Park Ave,  aims to help Cranston residents receive a level of care and service that cannot be matched by its national chain counterparts.

“From just looking around there is not much choice for independence in the state,” said Pharmacy Owner and Cranston Resident Zaheer Akbar.” We only have big chains like CVS or Walgreens. So I just wanted to give the option as well as the better service and care to the people of Cranston.”

Free delivery, better service and personalized care are the things Park Ave Pharmacy hopes to bring to customers who choose to make the switch. Those considering switching to an independent pharmacy may fear the cost, but Akbar assures customers that the cost of prescriptions should be about the same, as his pharmacy accepts all major insurances.

“We offer walk-in vaccinations so you don’t have to make an appointment for your flu, your pneumonia and all of those,” Akbar explained. “We also offer walk-in COVID testing available though the need for that seems to have died down recently, but it’s important to have those instant services for those who need to walk in because they have a busy schedule.”

Akbar said that while he himself is not a pharmacist, he has several in the family. While the store has only been open a few weeks and it has been slow, Akbar said that when a new customer walks in the door he is happy to see that they always seem as excited as he and his pharmacist Courtney are.

“My brother opened his pharmacy in Johnston a few years ago and the response has been really positive,” explained Akbar. “People really love it and love that they have a choice. The care and the satisfaction that you see it bring to people showed how it was making a better community.”

Independent pharmacies have not seen growth in Rhode Island in years. Phred’s Drugs, which closed in 2018, was one of the last remaining independent pharmacies in the state before shutting its doors.

“We mainly were forced out by CVS,” said former Executive Director of the Rhode Island Pharmacist Association, Don Fowler. “CVS came in and went to all the independents back about 20 years ago or more and said to the independents we’ll buy your store, but we don’t really want your store, we want your prescription list. That’s what they wanted. What they promised was if the owners had any sons or daughters in the business they would give them a job.”

What independents can do

Independent pharmacies can provide several services that larger pharmacies have trouble with. Aside from the ability to provide one on one time where customers can genuinely talk to a pharmacist, independent pharmacies like the one on Park Avenue can perform drug compounding.

Compounding, according to the FDA, “is generally a practice in which a licensed pharmacist, a licensed physician, or, in the case of an outsourcing facility, a person under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist, combines, mixes, or alters ingredients of a drug to create a medication tailored to the needs of an individual patient.”

Akbar said that while there are a few different pharmacies capable of compounding in the state it was important for him that his pharmacy could fulfill that need for local residents so that they would not have to travel farther in order to get their medications. A lot of the times there are shortages in drugs due to processes they have to follow regarding what manufactures they have contracts with and the need to wait until requests get large enough for them to order drugs in larger quantities.

“They’re not as flexible as small businesses,” said Akbar while referring to larger chains. “Where we can buy from anyone in the US that is allowed to sell, they have to say oh well we only go through this manufacturer. We have a bigger list and whatever our customers need there to be in stock we can get.”

Park Ave Pharmacy, and its smaller volume of patients and products, allows them to provide a level of one on one care that is all but unheard of in larger chains. Akbar recalled a patient recovering from foot surgery who needed his wife to drive him in to pick up his prescription. Akbar made sure to tell him that if for any reason she was busy or couldn’t drive him to just give the pharmacy a call and they would drive it over to him.

“I worked at an independent pharmacy back when I was in California,” said Pharmacist Courtney. “I’ve worked at Walgreens and CVS before and I much prefer how independent pharmacies are run. I feel like you actually get to do patient care and focus on the patient while doing things for them that you can’t do at a chain. To me as a pharmacist the biggest difference that I notice is that I’m taking care of patients and not feeling like I was someone working in the line to make their company more money.”

Those needing prescriptions filled are not the only people who have a reason to visit the new Park Ave Pharmacy. Upon entering the store it’s hard not to notice that many of the products are locally produced. Soaps, lotions and even local CBD products that are made right here in the ocean state and its neighbors can be found proudly displayed around the store.

Akbar said that finding new local products to sell was important to him. “A lot of these products are local, most is from the US, okay this company is from Australia, but the rep is from Rhode Island,” he laughed.

Local producers of all different products are encouraged to reach out to Akbar and the Park Ave Pharmacy as a way to get their products onto shelves and to help not only get their name out there, but to help the pharmacy further grow its offerings to the local community. Anything that Akbar thinks seems interesting, has good quality and that there is a general need for is something that he wants the chance to stock on his shelves.  

“We want to have a community focus,” Akbar said proudly. “We almost have a bit of an incorporated gift store. Soaps made by a company based in Newport, some CBD products and even a little area here with stuff for the pets. Not everything is from Rhode Island but if I get the opportunity to put something here from Rhode Island instead then I want that on the shelf.”