Shiretown Pharmacy gives residents more options

Pioneer Times photograph/Gloria Austin
ANSWERING A QUESTION — Diane Folsom, left, stopped by the Shiretown Pharmacy on its opening day. Pharmacist Lisa Findlater assists Folsom.
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
    Residents now have another option for getting their prescriptions.
    Shiretown Pharmacy officially opened for business last Wednesday, May 16, coinciding with the launching of the newly built County Yankee Grocer on Military Street.
    Customer Service will be a priority for owners/partners Lisa Findlater of Houlton and Charlie Ouellette of Fort Kent, who also owns St. John Valley Pharmacy.
    “Our customer service will be more accommodating since the owners are right in the store,” said Ouellette. “We can make a decision to carry a certain item or order what someone wants. We will be able to pay attention to the needs of the patient, which is important.”
    “Nor will we be so overwhelmingly busy with other things that we don’t take the time to talk and get to know people,” said Findlater.
    Ouellette has also done business in Houlton supplying product to Houlton Regional Hospital, Madigan Estates and Gardiner Health Care Facility.
    “He and I decided to go into business roughly three years ago,” explained Findlater. “It has been a work in progress. We are very happy to be in business today.”
    “I have been doing business in Houlton for five years,” Ouellette added. “I really was not sure if it would be a good idea since there are three pharmacies in Houlton. But, I soon realized it would work out pretty well.”
    Findlater and Ouellette have known each other for about 10 years.
    “At first we discussed Lisa coming to work for me,” said Ouellette. “But, I thought it would be good to have someone with an investment in it, since I am two hours away.”
Pioneer Times photograph/Gloria Austin
LEARNING NEW SYSTEM — Marcie Norton, left, works with Cindy Roy, a certified pharmacy technician from St. John Valley Pharamacy, as she learns a new computer system at Shiretown Pharmacy, which opened in the new County Yankee Grocer.
    The two discussed their mutual goals and formed a partnership.
    “Charlie got his license the same year I did,” said Findlater. “We both started at LaVerdiere’s went to Rite Aid and then to Community Pharmacy. I went back to Rite Aid and hopefully, now that I am a partner/owner, I won’t move again.”
    Shiretown Pharmacy is reminiscent of the days of the Plaza Pharmacy, operated by John Scovill, adjacent to Sampson’s Grocery Store, which sat where the Houlton Higher Education Center is today.
    “John was one of the first people in to visit,” said Findlater.
    A Houlton High School graduate, Findlater received her pharmaceutical degree from Albany College of Pharmacy in New York. She grew up in the Shiretown, graduated from its school system and then came back to the area to raise her three daughters, Ashley, Jordyn and Amelia, with husband Troy.
    “I want to stay open for as long as I am able to practice pharmacy,” said Findlater. “If by some chance of luck, a family member wants to take over the business at some point, I may never have to go back to a chain  pharmacy, barring unforeseen circumstances.”
    Findlater had her first taste of an independent pharmacy when she working as an assistant to Pharmacist Bert Audette of S.L. White Drug Company.
    “I really enjoyed working independent,” she said. “It seems every time I began with an independent after graduation, I ended up back with a chain pharmacy. My lifelong dream has been to be an owner of an independent pharmacy in my hometown of Houlton.”
    Last Wednesday, Findlater probably pinched herself.
    “I’ve finally been able to realize that dream,” she explained. “I am hoping people in Houlton will be supportive.”
    Shiretown Pharmacy will be open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to noon.
Pioneer Times photograph/Gloria Austin
READY TO SERVE YOU — The staff at Shiretown Pharmacy, located within the new County Yankee Grocer on Military Street, is ready to serve you. Staff members are, from left, Charlie Ouellette, owner/partner; Lisa Findlater, owner/partner; Marcie Norton, Stephanie Sennett and Stephanie Robistow, technicians.
    “I realize the hours are short, but I had to start with shortened hours since I am working alone as the only pharmacist,” Findlater said. “As my business increases, my hours will increase as time goes on. I would really like to stay closed on Sundays just for my own peace of mind, but I will be taking input from customers to see what they would like to do and go from there.”
    Shiretown Pharmacy will be offering immunization shots and delivery service in the future to those who are elderly or homebound.
    “We haven’t set a date yet because we need to know what our population of customers is going to be,” said Findlater.
    From there, the program will develop.
    Shiretown Pharmacy will stock inventory from different vendors, with the primary stock from Amerisource.
    “We also have a big discount program for our patrons,” added Findlater. “We have a good neighbor pharmacy discount program that will be comparable to our competitors’ with 30-day prescriptions for $4.99 and 90-day prescriptions for $10.99. We will also offer cash discounts, as well.”
    Though there is not a lot of over-the-counter inventory, the pharmacists can order practically anything requested since Shiretown Pharmacy is serviced by a different vendor than the other local pharmacies.
    Prescription transfers are easy to do, as the Shiretown Pharmacy staff will make the call to move a person’s prescription. All the pharmacy staff needs is the patient’s name, address, phone number, date of birth, insurance and pharmacy handling their medication. Or, people can drop off their prescriptions to be transferred in the mailbox if the Shiretown Pharmacy is closed.
    Shiretown Pharmacy also offers e-faxing to doctors, as well as prescription refills by phone.
    “We also have a reminder program to fill the prescription when the patient needs their medication,” said Findlater.
    “We are also as competitive as any other pharmacy,” added Ouellette.
    Working to make Shiretown Pharmacy successful are technicians Stephanie Robistow, Stephanie Sennett and Marcie Norton.
    “Owning a business is amazing,” said Findlater. “I get to decide what I want to carry and how I want to treat customers and my employees. I want people treated like they are family. I want them to feel like they can come and talk to me without constraints.
    “My workers need to feel comfortable in their working environment,” she added. “I want them to feel trusted and I want to be able to encourage them to do their best to really keep our business going.”
    On their first official working day, Findlater said the pharmacy had been busy.
    “We have a lot of interested people coming in, wanting to know how to sign up and do [prescription] transfers,” she said. “Others were asking for applications for employment and pharmacists were looking for job opportunities, which is really inspiring.”
    Shiretown Pharmacy can be reached by calling 532-5980 or fax 532-5981.
    “Hopefully, we will stay in business as an independent pharmacy, the only one in Houlton, for as long as I am able to service the community,” Findlater said.