TTC_02_17_21_Vol.17-No.17

pital. She moved over to help her
husband at the pharmacy, and
her warmth and customer service
mindset ‘supplements’ Louis’
humble character and deep professional
dedication to the customers.
As a couple, they have been an
anchoring business in town for 55
years.
As Stella shared, ‘we are the first
independent pharmacy in the surrounding
area, and it’s the friendliness
and service focus that we
most enjoy in working with our
customers.’ She also shared that
her son, James, used to work in the
pharmacy, and is now a physician
near Portsmouth, NH. They both
were instrumental in bringing
quality lines of pharmacy-grade
supplements, including Natural
Therapies, Integrative Therapeutics,
and Standard Process to the
store shelves. She adds, ‘I attended
many seminars, and took courses,
while my son researched to help
educate the clientele on their benefits.’
Maria Connor, daughter, has
worked in the pharmacy for 15
years. She can be found after entering
the front door, at the end of
the first aisle, ready to help with a
welcoming smile, just as her mother
has done for years. She added
that they provide, ‘prescriptions,
simple compounding for both
patients and pets, plus pharmacy-grade
supplements, compression
stocking fittings, and wound
care items, along with home care
supplies, and other hard-to-find
products on the shelves. ‘If there
is anything we don’t have, we will
order it,’ she warmly states.
Their family works faithfully
together with high attention to
detail, right down to the catchy
jazz and harmonica music played
on the phone if waiting on hold.
It is a place where customers receive
the benefits of quality service
and patient care, established by
Mr. Lynch, that has continued as
an inspiring legacy by the Andriotakises
and their staff.
Hours: 9 - 6 pm Mon - Fri, 9
– 1 pm Sat. Phone: (978) 462-
2232. www.lynchpharmacy.com
Conley’s Drug Store: the torch
has been passed from dedicated
parents to dynamic son
Conley’s Drug is another ‘cor-
Page 4 www.TheTownCommon.com
February 17, 2021
Supporting Independent Pharmacies
Known for Quality Service
By Sarah E. Hull M Ed
If you watched the Super Bowl
this year, you might have seen a
public service message with Stephen
Colbert. It was memorable,
not for millions spent, but because
he wasn’t poking fun, as he usually
does, on his late-night talk show.
Instead, he was sitting on a stool,
sharing how important it is to
support local small businesses at
this time. As he said, otherwise,
‘there might not be many left’
after the pandemic subsides. He
then facilitated a commercial for
a small bookstore in Boone, NC,
and included Tom Hanks and
Sam Elliott, who helped to drive
the point home about how necessary
small businesses are to our
country’s success.
Independent, family-owned
pharmacies have been working
hard in the competitive ‘prescription
game’ for years. They are a
testament to their owners’ care,
grit and dedication that is reflected
in daily efforts serving customers
with many different healthcare
needs, and going that little unexpected
extra mile, while working
to stay solvent.
Game-changing shifts have tilted
the playing field since 2007 due
to the growth of large pharmacy
chains, combined with shrinking
medication reimbursements.
CVS and Walgreens have bought
companies such as Caremark, a
prescription Pharmacy Benefits
Manager (PBM), to better control
the prescription market and influence
where patients can fill their
scripts.
Local pharmacies have been
meeting the increasingly difficult
challenges, while working in collaboration,
where possible, with
their mighty counterparts. They
also focus on success through their
historic legacies of building relationships
and providing valuable
customer service. With decades of
deep roots in their communities,
the following owners and employees
work to find new ways to provide
a range of quality products
and services, plus education, that
make a difference to the health
and well-being of their customers.
Staffs also work to maintain that
‘timeless’ experience most people
remember of visiting a local pharmacy.
Customers are able to have
an in-person conversation with
their pharmacist, whom they usually
know by name, and ask questions.
Children enjoy finding a
piece of candy, or toy, while adults
choose a special card, last-minute
gift, or a new supplement, along
with picking up a medication,
or home care equipment to help
make life more bearable for an elderly
relative.
In this region, three pharmacies
stand out. They are Daniel L.
Lynch Pharmacy in Newburyport
Photo / Ben Wilson
Conley's Drug Store Ipswich (l-r) Alex Doyle, owner and pharmacist and Michael Penniman, a 25 year staffer at the pharmacy.
Photo / Sarah E. Hull M Ed
at 173 High St., Rowley Pharmacy
in the Ezekiel Northend house
at 169 Main St. in Rowley, and
Conley’s Pharmacy located at 146
High St. in Ipswich.
Daniel L. Lynch would be
proud of the inspiring Andriotakis
family today:
Daniel L. Lynch Pharmacy in
Newburyport opened for business
in 1941 on State Street. A fire in
1954 led to Mr. Lynch buying
a building at 173 High Street,
where the pharmacy is now located.
It’s at the corner of Carey and
High Streets, and offers a remarkable
legacy.
Louis Andriotakis, its longtime
owner and respected pharmacist,
grew up in Newburyport, and
shared how he, ‘started working
for Mr. Lynch at age 17.’ He then
bought the business in 1966. Stella,
Louis’ wife, began her career
in healthcare as a trained X-ray
technician at Anna Jaques Hos-