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New pharmacy to replace Tom Jones Drug store

 

21-Feb-2008: A new community drug store could hang its Rx sign in the Boonsboro Shopping Center less than a year after Tom Jones Drug left the slot empty.

The popular local pharmacy closed in September, selling its inventory and customer list to Walgreens, which built a store across the street.

This week, a large white sign with red letters was hung in front of the building: "Pharmacy Coming Soon."

Richmond-based pharmacist Ram Reddy plans to open a new drug store there as early as this summer.

"He's an experienced pharmacist who's really excited about putting a pharmacy there," said James Forehand III, vice president of J.B. Forehand & Co., the landlord for the shopping center.

Reddy owns two drug stores - in Richmond and in Northern Virginia - and has been in the business 20 years.

Tom Jones was a local pharmacist, well known for going the extra mile to help customers. He opened the drug store in 1971.

Jones died in 2003, but his legacy lived on for several years. But last year, Walgreens was building a store nearby and offered to buy Tom Jones Drug.

Reddy caught wind of the sale from a vendor who supplied items to Tom Jones Drug. He was intrigued, and saw it as an opportunity.

"It's sad to see an icon in the city to go away," Reddy said.

He visited the pharmacy several times before it closed. He also talked to customers who didn't want to see the doors close.

"We have talked to a few of the people who used to go to Tom Jones Drug, and they were disappointed that they didn't have any other convenient store that they could go to, because they didn't like going into the chain stores," Reddy said.

Reddy approached the landlord. "They were very much interested in bringing a pharmacy back," he said.

"We didn't want it to stay dark for very long," Forehand said.

He said the location is best geared for a drug store, with a back end counter for pharmacy and a large front area for retail.

Reddy contacted Forehand before he started actively searching for a druggist to open shop there.

Reddy is currently seeking all the necessary permits to open a pharmacy there, and making plans to continue some Tom Jones Drug traditions.

He wants to hire local people as much as possible, including a clinical pharmacist. "We're not trying to bring anyone from outside the town," he said.

He said the store will still offer local delivery. "He (Tom Jones) was doing it, and we will still continue to do that," Reddy said.

He said the pharmacy will probably offer more home medical equipment than before.

"I don't know if we can say it will be as good as Tom Jones was, but we will try to provide the best service possible," Reddy said.

His Richmond store is Reddy's Pharmacy. He owns another store in The Plains, called The Plains Pharmacy.

The Lynchburg store will be named Boonsboro Pharmacy, and will open in mid or late summer, he said.

Source: Lynchburg News and Advance