WAYNESBORO – Patient care, customer service and making the best possible impact on the community are what drives the new owners of two Waynesboro pharmacies.
Antietam Pharmacy and Savage Family Pharmacy have been purchased by Rob Norris and Richard Collier and will be combined and launched as Waynesboro Apothecary on Monday, Sept. 30, at the Savage location, 604 E. Main St.
The business partners, who both have doctorates in pharmacy, also own Chambers Apothecary in Chambersburg and St. Thomas Apothecary. “We will continue to take care of our neighbors and keep the legacy created by Rodger Savage (of Savage) and Dave Riley (of Antietam) going. That’s what‘s important to us,” Norris said.
“This has been a blessing. Merging the two makes business sense … to keep an independently owned pharmacy in the community,” Norris continued. “We’re putting our armor on and going to war in a climate where it’s difficult to stay afloat. I don’t think people understand how bad the pharmacy business is. There is one store closing every day in the U.S. But we pledge to stay in this game and make this store as successful as possible.”
Norris said he and Collier were raised in Chambersburg. “We’re home grown, and it’s all about community for us. We want what small communities want — that’s what we came from.”
Both Savage and Riley were “looking to retire, but didn’t want to close their stores or sell out to a chain,” according to Norris. “We have stepped up to the challenge because we want Waynesboro to have the level of value that an independent pharmacy brings over a chain.”
Riley will work alongside pharmacist Terry Davis, added Norris. The store also will be staffed at times by Norris and Collier as well as pharmacists from the other apothecary locations and relief pharmacists, Norris said.
“Both stores have been around for over 100 years, so this is a passing of the torch, and we want to keep it alive. We will take care of our neighbors and our family members in the community. We’re here for them, and they will see the same familiar faces they’re used to,” he added.
In addition to their roles at the pharmacies, “Dave and Rodger have been active members of the local community for 20-plus years and have supported numerous local organizations,” Norris said. “We offer delivery service, something the chains don’t do, as well as taking calls on holidays.”
Hours for the new store, which also features a drive-through, are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Patients may take advantage of an online app for prescriptions. “The newest thing, which won’t roll out yet, is an app that features the ability to communicate with the pharmacy staff live, almost like a text message, create and complete an order and receive text notifications when your meds are ready.”
The new owners have plans to grow and expand the front end of the store, which features a number of supplements and health options, as well as gifts. “We’re looking to renovate and improve that area – we have 3,000 square feet to work with, and we want to get it rocking and rolling again, to give people what they want and need to fill those voids.”
