These three pharmacies have fought decreasing reimbursements and found unique ways to increase gross profits through distinctive products and offerings.
Owners: Dana Porter, MBA and Toby Porter
Dana and Toby Porter have lived their lives in the family business of pharmacy. Though neither is a pharmacist, they have found their niche in pharmacy by surrounding themselves with the best and brightest in pharmacist partners. They own five stores in Southern California with their pharmacist partners. Each store has a niche that is distinctive and they fight against decreasing reimbursements by adding profitable and unique front-end merchandising ideas. Below you will find some of the most successful and unique programs they have implemented in their stores to increase gross profits.
Bright Plaza Pharmacy, Whittier, CA
Increasing profits with a coffee shop, a specialized home medical equipment department, and in-store digital display
With Patrick Petti, the Porters created, currently maintain, and grow a 3,000 square foot store. This pharmacy includes Dr. Java, a coffee shop concept created by Dana in 2002. Dr. Java adds to the front end of the store by retaining 50-70% gross margin products such as coffee, espresso drinks, smoothies, shave ice, and pastries. In addition, Bright Plaza Pharmacy includes a home medical equipment department that rents and bills insurance for home medical equipment and supplies. They employ a sales associate to detail doctors, urgent care centers, and hospitals for patient’s durable medical equipment as well as pharmaceutical needs. Bright Plaza is also taking advantage of PHARMALYNK, maximizing their profits with PHARMALYNK’s unique products and customizable advertising through an in-store digital display. The pharmacy is located in a five-story medical building that includes an urgent care office and also sells a wide variety of food and sundries.
Bright La Mirada Pharmacy, La Mirada, CA
A focus on pediatrics: front end offerings and patient-centered services that cater to their young patients
Also located in a medical building, Bright La Mirada Pharmacy focuses on pediatric patients. Dr. Christopher Wall provides counseling and patient-centered services such as immunizations. The front end is stocked with small toys, gifts, and child-friendly medicines. Bright La Mirada also takes advantage of PHARMALYNK and has their advertising customized so that the screen is split to advertise on the top and show cartoons while a family is waiting for their prescription to be filled on the bottom half. This location is also seeing the advantage of taking part in PHARMALYNK’s programs and services by increased sales on profitable items.
Villa Park Pharmacy, Tustin Pharmacy, and Rite Price Pharmacy, Orange County, CA
Setting themselves apart with postal service and lottery offerings, as well as eye-catching gifts
These three pharmacies are all located in Orange County. All three stores with their respected pharmacists, Dr. Adan Bollenbach and Dr. Jerry Oswald, have contracts with the United States Postal Service to run and operate USPS sub-stations. Villa Park also has a contract with California Lottery, which provides foot traffic around peak times and increases sales for front-end gifts and OTC products. In addition, Villa Park and Rite Price both have large gift sections and Hallmark contracts.
In this challenging landscape, Dana and Toby have found that the addition of these extra contracts and supplier programs provide much needed gross margin dollars and foot traffic in their pharmacies.
