The Farmville Pharmacy is set to be the newest edition to the Main Street Plaza in Farmville, located on South Main Street across the road from Longwood University.
Scott Kim, the owner of the facility, purchased the space during the first week of December 2012 from Brian Eckert.
In the past, the businesses in the Main Street Plaza have experienced some difficulty in keeping steady business to the point of closing. Most recently, frozen yogurt shop Flip Flops, where the pharmacy is now located, left the shopping center. After receiving competition on the corner of MidTown Square by the chain frozen yogurt business Sweet Frog, Flip Flops decided to close its doors for good on June 13, 2012. Main Street Plaza has also lost other businesses in the past, such as the
restaurant Wing Shak, which also occupied the space where the pharmacy is currently located. Despite knowing that these businesses didn't hold up in the plaza, Kim is ready to continue with opening his business for he feels that the pharmacy is “needed.” The Farmville Pharmacy is expected to offer general retail products that you would find at retail pharmacies like CVS, fill prescriptions, give flu shots and offer compounded items. Compounding is when the pharmacist makes medication at the pharmacy that is not manufactured. “Basically, I believe that my business will last because a pharmacy offers items that are needed,” said Kim. “While we have places here in Farmville like CVS, Rite-Aid and Walmart that offer similar products, their volume of costumers are going to be much higher than mine. Being that I'll be a smaller pharmacy, the volume is much lower, which will then produce faster service.”
The pharmacy is expected to accept most types of insurance. Kim also added that the co-pay will be the same amount among costumers as long as they have insurance.
Kim also recognizes that he will not only have business from Farmville residents but from students as well.
“One of the reasons I like the location is because I know first-year Longwood University students cannot drive so they have to ask friends for rides to places like Walmart unless they walk a long distance,” Kim said. “I believe the pharmacy will be good for students to walk to and receive prescriptions in a prompt manner.”
LongwoodStudentshavethe option of going to the Student Health and Wellness Center on campus, where they are able to see nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
Margo Potts, director of the Student Health and Wellness Center, said that 60 to 75 percent of the students who visit the Student Health and Wellness Center each week are prescribed medications. “The students use all the different pharmacies in town and being that this one is across from Curry and Frazer, it certainly could be very good,” she said.
Kim hopes to have his pharmacy up and running by mid-March, but the opening date has not been finalized. Once the plans are in motion, Kim hopes to have a grand opening for all his potential new costumers, where he plans to offer hot dogs and other refreshments.
