Rye Beach Pharmacy
Niche Markets
Located at 464 Forest Ave. in Rye, N.Y., Rye Beach Pharmacy’s facility stands at more than 5,000 square feet and encompasses more than three floors. Its staff includes more than 50 full and part-time employees, with at least six registered pharmacists on-site every weekday to answer any health questions. The company also has a presence in Rye at the Westmed Medical Group’s facility at 1 Theall Rd.
While most other independent pharmacies in its market have faltered over the years, Rye Beach Pharmacy has maintained its place in the market. The company has been able to succeed where others have failed by offering fair prices and filling niches.
“For example, we offer delivery service and usually have four delivery cars on the road,” GiaQuinto says. “Many customers struggle to find the time in the day to run all of their errands, and that convenience is appreciated and helps us expand our base.”
One of the niches where the company is established is in compounding. Rye Beach Pharmacy has a state-of-the-art prescription compounding lab equipped with a Class 10,000 clean room, laminar flow hood, and many other high-tech machines. The company’s trained compounding specialists are members of the Professional Compounding Centers of America (PCCA) and work out of the facility’s 1,200-square-foot lab. Rye Beach Pharmacy currently concentrates its customized medication efforts on BHRT, weight loss, age management and veterinary needs.
“Our compounding lab pharmacists are solely focused on compounding,” GiaQuinto says. “They are well-educated and stay current on the compounding world. They spend a lot of time focused on new or old formulas plus supporting doctors with questions about our capabilities.”
Last year, Rye Beach Pharmacy remodeled the compounding lab to ensure it is in line with new and prospective regulations. The remodel improved workflow and safety processes. “We were able to build an entirely new lab while still keeping our operations going,” GiaQuinto says.
Another aspect of Rye Beach Pharmacy that helps to set the company apart from its competitors is its natural product department. Run by Ronald May, a registered pharmacist who specializes in nutrition, Rye Beach Pharmacy can devote time and resources to individual herbal and product information requests. In fact, Mr. May can be found at any time in the aisles helping customers.
Home care is an additional niche for Rye Beach Pharmacy. Patricia Stokes, the company’s homecare manager and certified fitter specializes in compression stocking fittings and has a vast knowledge and expertise with homecare products. She can special order products for customers with unique needs.
“By having people on our staff that aren’t focused on filling prescriptions, we can have people in the aisle managing their departments and providing counseling services,” GiaQuinto explains. “We can do one-on-one nutritional counseling and provide services on everything from weight loss to overall wellness. Additionally, our home-care manager is not rushed and can provide the extra care that most of her patients need to feel comfortable with the product.”
Future Focus
As the company looks forward, it sees the compounding lab as a good avenue for growth. GiaQuinto stresses that Rye Beach Pharmacy must continue to educate the physician community about the state-of-the-art lab so they are aware of its benefits.
“We’re looking at doing things like adding a video tour of the lab to our website, and installing closed circuit cameras so visitors can see what takes place inside the lab,” he says.
To ensure that all of the people in its community know what Rye Beach Pharmacy can offer, the company is also looking at sending out direct mailers and exploring the potential of adding a loyalty program.
“There has been some new construction of retirement homes and apartment buildings in the area, so we are looking for ways to let people know about their independent pharmacy options so we can maintain our loyal customers and bring in new ones,” GiaQuinto says.
Rye Beach Pharmacy will continue to build on its legacy by always offering a little of bit everything and serving as an informational source for its customers. Through a culture dedicated to caring, diligence and compassion, Rye Beach Pharmacy has shown time and again that it sees its community as part of its family.