Streetlevel: Health and Beauty Shop on 7th Ave
The space on 189 7th Avenue, where 2nd Street Cafe used to be, will become a drug store. A sign says Pure Essentials—″fine health and beauty projects,” and “KIDSRx-n-grownups-too”—will open soon. Other drug stores in the neighborhood have closed up shop (which we don’t hear folks complain about, since they’re often as prolific as banks)….
The space on 189 7th Avenue, where 2nd Street Cafe used to be, will become a drug store. A sign says Pure Essentials—″fine health and beauty projects,” and “KIDSRx-n-grownups-too”—will open soon. Other drug stores in the neighborhood have closed up shop (which we don’t hear folks complain about, since they’re often as prolific as banks). Will this one fly, you think?
I agree with anon552. Private pharmacies everywhere are suffering a great deal due to managed care. The chain pharmacies don’t offer the service that the private pharmacies provide. One of the biggest misconceptions is that a large chain pharmacy will be cheaper because they would buy the drugs at bulk passing the savings to the customer. That is false. A large chain pays the same for the medications as a small private pharmacy. Its illigal for them to get a discounted price. And since they have a larger overhead there is a good chance they are more expensive then a private pharmacy.
The pharmacists in chain stores are pushed to produce volume and are not given the chance to consult the patients and provide quality service.
you are much better of going to a private pharamcy. They will go the extra mile to make sure everything is correct and you are well informed.
Unfortunatly, mom and pop pharmacies are a dying breed. Its a great loss for everyone when a corporation puts the mighty dollar ahead of peoples health.
I am a pharmacist who worked at a chain pharmacy and now work for a hospital.
Well, its the new thing in Park Slope to open up an establishment that already exists. We have 10 of everything in this neighborhood. Either its a high end children’s store or a burger place. We have Rite Aid, Neergard, CVS we do not need some fancy “children’s Rx”. If they were smart they would open up the cafe again but specialize the menu. Maybe a soul food fusion place or something.
Well, its the new thing in Park Slope to open up an establishment that already exists. We have 10 of everything in this neighborhood. Either its a high end children’s store or a burger place. We have Rite Aid, Neergard, CVS we do not need some fancy “children’s Rx”. If they were smart they would open up the cafe again but specialize the menu. Maybe a soul food fusion place or something.
With managed care organizations severely limiting pharmacy benefits to insured individuals and most requiring members to obtain long-term prescriptions from mail order pharmacies, like Medco, the pharmacy business in dying. Mom-and-pop pharmacies, like Palma in Park Slope, are suffering and have resorted to selling vitamins, health accessories and other stuff. Most people use chain pharmacies, where they get poor service and no counseling. I can’t imagine a new pharmacy moving into a neighborhood like PS. Given the square footage of the Second St. Cafe site, this joint is going to have pharmacy as only a small part of its business. The signage seems to suggest that health products for children will be a major aspect of its efforts. Given how much PS parents spend on imported deluxe strollers, they could do quite well among the stroller set (ie parents who comfort themselves about their parenting by spending lots of money on childcare and accessories).
I’ve been in the West Village store too. I have to say that the prices were higher than in your everyday chain drugstore and the amount of stuff they carried was pretty spare. just ’cause it’s Park Slope doesn’t mean people want to pay more for fancy shampoo and bandaids for kids. maybe the pharmacy will be opened 24 hours though.
The original store is in the W. Village. I went in a few weeks ago and a friendly clerk told me about the new shop coming to Brooklyn. They had what looked to me like a comprehensive selection of health products for babies and children (and I guess adults too).