Weaverville – Weaverville’s new independent pharmacy, Prescription Pad, opened on April 5. This is the locally-owned pharmacy’s third storefront after existing locations in Burnsville and Marion.
Prescription Pad opened at 3 N. Main St, in the former location of Weaverville Drug Co. and Weaverville Healthwise, which closed August 31 after 92 years. Weaverville Drug Company originally opened in 1885, but the present-day store opened in 1928 and was a longstanding institution of downtown Weaverville.
Barnardsville resident Chuck Sprinkle purchased the store in 1993 and sold it to Smith Drug Company of Spartanburg, SC in 2017.
A recent Walgreens buyout of the pharmacy marked the startling end to this local favorite. Local residents voiced their disappointment over the closing when the Tribune spoke to them back in August.
“It’s upsetting,” said Chuck Sprinkle on the Walgreens buyout. “It’s certainly not something I wanted to see happen or I expected to. One reason I sold to Smith management was I felt that they had the resources, background and financial backing to keep it going. The sudden decision to close 30 stores was something I didn’t see coming.”
Now, Weavervillians are enthusiastic about the introduction of Prescription Pad, says operations manager Heather Shelton. Shelton says residents have missed an independent pharmacy in the community.
“So many people are excited about the pharmacy,” Shelton says. “It’s been awesome because the customers want to shop independent.”
When Weaverville Drug Co. closed for good last August, longstanding employees were abruptly laid off.
At the time, Smith management told employees of the drug store not to talk to the press. One employee, on condition of anonymity, told the Tribune, “We had no clue about this…It was as much a surprise to us as the customers. They [customers] think we knew and didn’t tell them and it is breaking our heart. We aren’t allowed to say anything on social media either.”
Prescription Pad aimed to rehire as many former employees as possible.
“We have a lot of our former employees that were here, most of them are here again, with [Prescription Pad]” says Shelton, who was also with Weaverville Drug and Weaverville Healthwise.
The midcentury-style ice cream shoppe located in the front of the store is staying too. In addition to two brands of hand scooped ice cream, the drug store has installed soft serve machines. Patrons can purchase a swirl of vanilla, chocolate or both.
The pharmacy anticipates administering the COVID-19 vaccine when available to independent pharmacies.
Prescription Pad is open 9 am – 7 pm Mon-Fri and 9-2 on Sat. They offer delivery and medication packing. Their phone number is (828) 484-7800.