Nicholas Shanos originally planned to take his birthday off from work.
But that was before the new coronavirus hit Rhode Island, making Shanos’ role as owner and chief pharmacist at Suburban Pharmacy Inc. even more critical. So the Warwick native and second-generation owner of the pharmacy changed his March birthday plans and spent the day behind the counter.
“I have a responsibility to my community,” Shanos said. “We are on the front lines of this.”
As a longtime neighborhood pharmacy, Shanos and his team have become a go-to place not only for filling prescriptions and staple household items such as hand sanitizer but for information and support. In a time of uncertainty, customers are increasingly turning to him to express worries and fears.
“People come in that need to be talked off the ledge,” he said.
He, too, is worried. In his 34 years running the pharmacy, Shanos had never experienced anything like this crisis.
Among his concerns: how supply-chain interruptions could affect manufacturing of medications, how long his existing stockpile would last, how to keep his employees safe, and how to get hand sanitizer into the hands of customers amid a national shortage.
Regarding the latter, Shanos started making his own sanitizer using isopropyl alcohol and aloe gel. He had also implemented new practices designed to keep employees and customers safe – regular cleaning, limited the number of people in the store and expanded delivery services for patients unable to retrieve their medications themselves.
“Whatever it takes to keep people safe, we will do,” he said. “The word ‘no’ is not in the vocabulary at Suburban Pharmacy.”
Despite the new challenges, Shanos said he could not imagine doing anything else. Taking over the family business from his father, Tom Shanos, had been his dream since childhood.
It became reality almost immediately after Shanos graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 1986, the same year his dad died of cancer.
In many ways, the mechanics of the business are unchanged, although the automation of counting pills and filling prescriptions has improved the process dramatically in recent decades. Time has also brought new challenges, including increased competition from national pharmacy chains.
The advent of mail-order prescriptions, which are mandated under certain health insurance plans, hurt his business significantly, as have restrictions on where employees of certain health insurance plans can fill their prescriptions. State workers, for example, have to use CVS Health Corp.
“It is not a level playing field,” Shanos said, adding that he saw no reason why his pharmacy could not be included as a retail participant on par with CVS or Walgreens Co. networks.
What sets his pharmacy apart, its concierge-like service and personal connection, has helped retain many customers over the years.
“People tend to stay with us for life, or as long as they can,” he said.
OWNER: Nicholas Shanos
TYPE OF BUSINESS: Pharmacy
LOCATION: 242 Pawtuxet Ave., Warwick
EMPLOYEES: 12
YEAR ESTABLISHED: 1961
ANNUAL SALES: WND
Nancy Lavin is a PBN staff writer. Contact her at Lavin@PBN.com.
