Decatur’s Medicine Shoppe Bought By CVS
Decatur Metro | June 21, 2011Patch reports that CVS has bought up one of the last two independent pharmacies in Decatur, The Medicine Shoppe at 215 Clairemont Avenue, and includes a bit of reflection from the last remaining independent pharmacy – McKinney’s.
“For 17 years, I’ve known Ramiro and watched him and his family takeover that business and run it as a community asset,” said Doug Taunton, owner of McKinney’s Apothecary in Decatur. “The independent pharmacy business has really decreased over the years. Not many young pharmacists want to get into the business … and it’s so much easier to go to work for the chains.”
In-town independent pharmacies seem to slowly be going the way of the fully-stocked independent grocery, buoyed a bit longer by the larger profit-margins of drugs that are all but non-existent in the “basic needs” world of milk, toilet paper, and non-artisanal bread. (Yes, I know, this isn’t the first time I’ve brought this up.)
I wonder if pharmacies will also soon go the way of the grocery, going higher-end to pay those in-town rents. Isn’t there already a pharmacy on the Upper West Side of NYC that sells growlers? (Oh alcohol, where would we community-loving in-towners be without your tasty, necessary profit-margins?)
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I can’t imagine a good reason to use any other pharmacy other than McKinney’s. Not only are they a pleasure to deal with in person, they DELIVER for a ridiculously low fee.
I don’t use them because their hours of operation are so limited.
I will never EVER understanding using the local chain pharmacy over McKinney’s. Dr. Doug knows me, my husband and my children. He offers personal service and neighborly chat. He and his staff are incredible.
Although I had never used them, I am sad to see the other independent pharmacy get bought!
I have never used McKinney’s so I do not at alll doubt that if you need real personal service from a pharmacy, they are the place to go. But isn’t the reality that many people simply need a certain number of pills placed into a container? If you need one particular medicine for a given time, and aren’t taking anything else, then it seems to me that you want a container of pills and nothing more. This might explain why people prefer to drive through CVS as opposed to go elsewhere.
A good point. But I’ve long gotten bottles of pills filled at CVS – for no other reason than their hours – and I dread the experience. Long lines, select annoyed staff, etc. I didn’t know about McKinney’s delivery. If it can solve my after hours needs, I’ll be one happy camper.
You guys should try CVS on Lavista in North Druid Hills. They’re 24 hours with a drive-thru. I’ve never encountered a line, and I routinely pick up medications after midnight. That’s something your mom and pop shop can’t (or won’t) offer. I’ve also never encountered any service issues.
i’ve personally boycotted cvs for those exact same reasons…i have simply wasted too much of my time waiting. it’s been 2+ years and i haven’t looked back. switched everything over to publix and n’er a problem. but i am going to give mckinney’s a try based on all the accolades.
Most people don’t understand the true power of their money and the choices they make as a consumer.
Dr. Doug and his staff rock! Not only are the above comments right on target, but one of the best things about McKinneys is that I can walk in and, with no advanced notice to them, refill a prescription in 5 minutes (or less). Even new scripts are filled quickly. 5 minutes people! When is the last time Walgreens didn’t make you wait half an hour?
I’m also happy to note that there is a young pharmacists behind the counter sometimes. I hope that bodes well for the longevity of McKinneys.
So what will happen now? Will CVS actually move something into these spaces or just shut them down (or possibly rent them to an unrelated business) to cut off competition at their store down the street?
CVS will most likely shut down the store. That’s what they did with Stacy’s some years back. What they’re really buying is the customer list, not the physical shop. I bet the owners are pretty happy with the deal.
Nothing compares to the level of customer services McKinney’s provides..Doug and his staff take time with EVERY customer. He even lets my dog come in when we walk to the pharmacy:)
I loved Ramiro’s Medicine Shoppe and used them for years until City of Decatur insurance forced our family into Kaiser Permanente last year. Ramiro, his wife and staff were always professional, friendly and went above and beyond for their customers. I miss them!
Felicia at KP/Decatur is really great and will spend time answering all your questions. If you want something that’s not in the KP formulary, she will get it for you at full price, but you could also go to McKinney’s.
After the first time I went into McKinney’s I never went back to CVS. Doug learned my name on the first visit and never forgot it. That kind of pharmacy is a true rarity and we should all do what we can to support them.
Yall have convinced me. I’m moving my scripts.
+1 Happened to stop by with a friend who was getting their ‘script filled at McKinney’s and was very impressed with the friendly service. I will be switching from Target to McKinney’s
Cheers to McKinney’s Apothecary. The whole community needs to support them because I cannot go back to CVS for prescriptions. Spread the word!
Right there with you all on the McKinney’s love. What a treasure! Dr. Doug was willing to spend 15 minutes chatting with me and answering all my questions about possible drug interactions and how to take my new medications. I was lucky to get in a question at Walgreen’s before they moved on to the next customer. Wouldn’t go anywhere other than McKinney’s.
I have had an occasion where I had to purchase meds at full price – McKinney’s beat other pharmacy prices by a landslide! So you can’t tell me that you get it cheaper at CVS!! That PLUS the customer service I receive at McKinney’s keeps me coming back!
Damn. I was going to switch to my insurance’s mail order pharmacy soon because it’s so much cheaper, but it’s hard to pass up patronizing such a well-recommended local business. I’m ashamed to say I didn’t even know they existed.
I use a mail order pharmacy through our insurance but I still find that I need to use a brick and mortar pharmacy frequently–for a prescription needed immediately, e.g. for antibiotics, or for a refill or renewal that didn’t get filed in time for the mailed prescription to reach us.
Even with a mail order pharmacy, you’ll probably have opportunities to use McKinney’s, e.g. if you need a prescription filled immediately, for antibiotics or pain meds or something else needed ASAP, or sometimes mail order refills or renewals take too long and you need a short-term supply of a medication to tide you over until the mail order meds arrive.
Didn’t mean to double post but I didn’t see my first message go on-line so thought I aborted it somehow. Operator error.
I am so happy to see that so many Decaturites share my love for McKinney’s. Their service is so personal and way speedier than CVS. You can tell that they are so appreciative to have your business.
My family owns 2 independent pharmacies in another state–we visit relatives in Decatur. We have done business at McKinney’s when in town and found it to be a wonderful store. They are friendly, professional, and as others have said, willing to take time to help you. This is as it should be. Those who have not done business with an independent don’t realize the level of service they provide. A pharmacy is more than a STORE, it should offer professional services that complement the care you receive from your physician–McKinney’s is that type of pharmacy.
I will miss Ramiro and his staff terribly. A big thanks to them for the service and level of care that they provided to me and my family.
McKinney’s… here I come.
Thanks to this post, I was able to alert an elderly neighbor to her pharmacy closing, and help her switch to McKinney’s. Thanks to Doug at McKinney’s for his warm, reassuring assistance to my neighbor, and to DM for the heads up!
Agree with all the posters above about McKinney’s. They’ve had my prescriptions for decades now. They are always friendly, very fast, will show up at my front door with my prescriptions if I’m sick and the doctor calls something in… just all round good service from good people. And you can now enter info for refills online and they will either deliver or have it ready for you to pick up at your convenience. See their website at http://www.mckinneysrx.com/.
Doug and all the staff at McKinneys are great. If it costs a little more than a chain or a mail in, it is well worth it to receive excellent service and friendship. This is the way it should be in a great place like Decatur.