Convenience is a key component in The Medicine Shoppe’s expansion to a new location in Crossroads Village Shopping Centre, next to Quality Foods on Joyce Avenue.
While the original location at Gibsons Crossing on Marine Avenue will continue to offer customers the same integrated pharmacy services it has for the past six years, the new store will feature more of a “mainstream pharmacy approach,” says owner and compound pharmacist Dirk de Villiers. “Some aspects of nutritional, integrated medicine and homeopathy will be incorporated, but not to the extent of what we have on Marine, where we have a naturopath practicing in the store and nutritional counselling is offered.”
A soft opening began at the new location in late September, but staff will celebrate an official grand opening from Monday, October 24, through Sunday, October 30.
“Everyone is invited to the grand opening event,” says de Villiers. “There will be special deals running the whole week and customers can enter a draw to win an iPad.”
As part of the celebrations, beginning on Monday, the new store’s first 50 customers will receive free gift bags.
On Wednesday, October 26, an official ribbon-cutting ceremony with cake and refreshments will take place at 11 am. Executives from The Medicine Shoppe Canada, as well as management from Quality Foods, will be on hand to promote the working relationship agreement between the pharmacy group and grocery store chain. Local dignitaries have also been invited.
Chung Choo, a pharmacist with 13 years of experience, will manage the new store, which is open seven days a week from 9 am-6 pm. Additional staff members include pharmacist Lynda Brousseau and regulated technician Charlee Akins.
Although de Villiers will spend some time each week at the new location, most of his focus will be on services offered at 4670 Marine Avenue, which is open from 9:30 am-5 pm, Monday to Friday.
“At this location, I am continuing my integrated care, which is naturopathy, homeopathy and natural healthcare pharmacy services,” says de Villiers. “Nowadays, the word is functional pharmacy, where you integrate the use of drugs with a healthy lifestyle, including what herbs you can put into a diet that might result in fewer drugs being used or maybe eliminate some drugs.”
The Marine location also offers complete home healthcare, including wheelchairs, bathroom and home safety equipment and ostomy supplies. An Ideal Protein weight-loss clinic is another featured service available.
“Ideal Protein is a personalized weight-loss program,” explains de Villiers, who coaches the program with Ideal Protein coach Jessica Welde. “Clients receive one-on-one coaching on a weekly basis.” More information about the program is available at idealweightlosspowellriver.com.
In addition to regular pharmacy services, a lab for personalized compounds is located on site.
“We can take tablets and put them into a liquid, a cream or an injection,” says de Villiers. “We do that compounding right here with prescriptions specifically made for an individual, maybe in a flavour they like, or in a different form.”
For convenience, compound prescriptions dropped off at the new location will be sent to the Marine store for preparation and delivered back to Crossroads Village for customers to pick up.
For more information about The Medicine Shoppe, call 604.489.5919 (Crossroads) or 604.485.5530 (Marine) or go to medicineshoppe.ca.
