La Conner Drug closes Jan. 23

La Conner Drug Store, established in 1877, was recognized as the oldest continuous-running drug store in Washington State by the Washington Board of Pharmacy in 2014 – sometimes under different ownership, but serving its communities without interruption.

Fred Martin, a long-time La Conner resident and community activist, owned it for decades before he sold it to Aaron Syring, Pharm.D, in 2006.

Now it is 2024 and Syring, founder of Island Drug, confirmed last week that both La Conner Drug and Island Drug in Oak Harbor will close as of Jan. 23 and Jan. 25 respectively. His Clinton drugstore on South Whidbey Island will remain open.

La Conner Drug Store employees were teary-eyed when confirming it was officially closing Jan. 23.

The store has six employees including two pharmacists and a third when Syring is on site.

Deb Claus, Pharm.D., said they were closing due to "difficulties with reimbursement from insurance companies" and that that scenario was "impacting small pharmacies everywhere."

Claus has worked in several states, but La Conner is her favorite store. "This is a tight-knit community with a strong bond. We appreciated getting to know patients. So sad we can't maintain that relationship. We will miss La Conner."

Through tears Erica Rush, a pharmacy technician, who has worked there off and on for a year, said La Conner was the best community to work with and the tribe [Swinomish] was a dream to work with. It is "just sad."

Between COVID-19, staffing problems and insurance difficulties, the largest hurdle to maintaining a viable business Syring believed, by far, was the insurmountable problems brought on by insurance companies and Pharmacy Benefit Management companies.

"The combined effects of insurances preventing customers from filling prescriptions locally while reducing reimbursements is not sustainable," he said.

Syring called it "a pleasure to serve the La Conner community through the years" and thanked them for their support on his website.

Syring's most significant achievement was being able to give over 113,000 COVID-19 vaccines, bringing families and community back together after a year of isolation.

Shoppers have noticed in the last few years the near-empty shelves, the dearth of gifts, dwindling supplements and what looked like a slow downward spiral. "Staffing shortages" contributed to the already difficult problems brought on by insurance company reimbursements and COVID-19, he said.

Syring sold the two stores to RITE AID and many employees will be making the transfer. It is a challenge to close two stores while assisting customers and employees in making the transition to RITE AID.

RITE AID at 1517 Commercial Avenue in Anacortes and RITE AID at 412 East College Way in Mount Vernon will be handling customers' prescriptions. Records will be digitally sent to RITE AID's computer system.

Customers are being advised to request refills if they are due on or prior to Jan. 22 in La Conner – and Jan. 24 in Oak Harbor. It is important that refills are picked up by the last day of operations.

A liquidation sale has started at 50% off. The store web page has details: https://www.Islanddrug.com.

Next week: What is a BPM and how does it affect you and your doctors' personal prescription drug choices?