BAYVILLE, NY — A longtime Bayville pharmacy is getting a moment in the spotlight in a Verizon commercial featuring Christopher Briney, a star in "The Summer I Turned Pretty."
Bayville Pharmacy & Comics and the North Shore town's waterfront scenery appear in the commercial, which shows Briney, donned in a leather jacket, cruising in a red convertible alongside waves, stopping outside the pharmacy, and walking on a beach at sunset.
The family-run business has been part of the North Shore community for 40 years. Owner Michael Hancock bought the pharmacy in 2019, when it was known as Bayville Pharmacy, and later expanded the business to include comic books.
As a Bayville resident, Hancock said he is proud his coastal town is getting the recognition it deserves.
"It's a beautiful small town with a lot of heart, and seeing it highlighted like that felt really special," Hancock said.
For the Sept. 24 shoot, the storefront received a slight makeover to fit the commercial's look. Hancock told Patch that seeing the storefront, albeit slightly altered, in a commercial "makes it feel bigger than life."
Hancock said he first heard from the commercial's location manager in mid-September, after the manager saw photos of the storefront and reached out about filming there.
On the day of filming, Hancock said it was surreal to see the size of the production crew. The crew arrived around 10:30 a.m. to transform the front of the store, but filming didn't begin until around 4:30 p.m., he said.
Hancock said he appreciated that the production took notice of the business's character.
"It was nice they recognized the old-school charm of Bayville Pharmacy & Comics," Hancock said.
The commercial is titled 'Feel The Love,' starring Chris Briney.
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