A Neighborhood Pharmacy with a Personal Touch

In an age where the big box stores seem to be on almost every corner of almost every neighborhood, it is refreshing to find a local, independent pharmacy where you are more than a number, but actually a person.

Garfield Pharmacy continues the legacy of personal service and a commitment to its customers, many of whom they consider to be family.

"Personalized service is how we survive, and trust is a big part of that," says current owner and registered pharmacist David E. Levine, a Mepham alumni who bought the pharmacy 31 years ago in March 1979.  "Many of our customers were born, grown and married in the time we have been here."

Levine is only the third owner since the pharmacy opened in 1950. According to Levine, it was named after the street it is located next to by the original owners.

Levine says the emergence of stores such as CVS, Walmart and Rite-Aid has not had a negative effect on his business. 

"That is a misconception," he says.  "In general, the big chains don't affect an independent service driven business. We accept insurance plans just like the other stores do, so the prescription that costs $10 there will cost you $10 here. The only difference is those stores carry more inventory."

The difference that does matter, Levine points out, is that he and his other pharmacists give specialized service and professional information, something the chains have a hard time doing.

"We provide a service," he says.  "It is a service as well as a business."

Levine sends a "welcome to the neighborhood" letter with a store magnet to new homeowners in the neighborhood, but admits that is about the extent of his advertising.

"I've been lucky," he says.  "Most of the customers are referred either by family history or word of mouth, so I don't have to do a lot of advertising."

Levine says the biggest change to the business in the three decades since he has owned Garfield is technology.

"Before if a customer had a question about a new medication, I would have to look things up in a pharmacology book. Now I just go to the computer and look it up that way. It definitely saves time," Levine says. "Also, the business side is better. Billing and ordering is a lot easier now that technology is what it is."

Levine not only treats his customers like family, but his employees as well. A few of them have been with him for 25 years. That may make up for the fact that all three of his sons are pursuing different careers from his.

"My biggest wish would be for one of my sons to do this, but all three of them are teachers," he says. "But even so, this is still very much a family environment."