Business Spotlight: Central Pharmacy

Central Pharmacy has moved!  After decades in the same location in Four Corners shopping center at the corner of Hooper and Sullivan, last Monday the business moved to its new location at 9952 Sullivan Road (the former DeAngelo’s Restaurant).  The new location has been amazingly transformed by Ritter Maher Architects.  No sign of the old Italian restaurant remains.  Instead, the complete remodeling now radiates a clean, modern vibe.  Rows of shelving containing an expanded supply of over the counter medicines and vitamins and a sweep of counter finish the new look.  A great addition is the drive-thru service.  The covered driveway allows you to pull up in comfort to receive your prescriptions no matter what the weather might be.  Over 50 cars took advantage of this new feature on their opening day!

Mr. Claud Derbes, longtime owner of Central Pharmacy, sold the business to Mike Leggett last December.  Then in February Mike sold the majority of his interest in the pharmacy to John Stagg and Kaley Hill.  John and Kaley have a long history with the health care system.  John’s wife’s grandfather was Carl Bond who owned the Rexall in Zachary many years ago.  John’s father-in-law Johnny LeTard owned Medical Pharmacy next to Lane Hospital for 40 years and was a founding member of the Louisiana Independent Pharmacy Association.  John’s eldest son is a pharmacist, and his younger son is presently studying in pharmacy school.  Kaley is a Registered Nurse and Nursing Home Administrator who owns interests in Long Term Care facilities.  Two years ago John and Kaley joined forces to form Hometown Healthcare Management which holds interests in nursing homes, hospice and home healthcare businesses.  This extensive combined experience makes them the perfect combination to run a pharmacy.  

John and Kaley’s biggest emphasis is taking care of their clients.  This is why they are very excited to be able to offer the drive-thru service.  They also have a private room for immunizations and coumadin checks.  You can still get e-scrips, use the same App, and be served by the same friendly faces you have always seen at Central Pharmacy.  Pharmacists Mike Anding, George Munn, and new addition Cyril Broussard are there to care for your needs.  Cyril comes to Central Pharmacy after 18 years at the old Central Eckerd’s and several years with CVS after they bought out Eckerd’s.  And of course, Mrs. Barbara Sonnier will still be helming the counter!  

“Central Pharmacy has been serving Central for a long time, starting with the Murrays, then the Stroderds, then the Derbes’.  It’s important to us to appreciate the history of this business.  We hope that in twenty years we’ll  be looking back to similar service,” shared Kaley.  John agreed, “We hope our children can come here and be a part of it!”  “We do a lot of health care and it’s important to us, but there’s something about this store that just feels right – it’s more than just a business, and we’re going to give it our all,” added Kaley, “We want a chance to continue to be your community pharmacy.”  “To Central Pharmacy’s old customers, we’d like to say, ‘we’re the same familiar faces.’  To our new customers, let us have a chance to earn your respect,” John stated.