If Keaveny pharmacy moves to St. Mary’s, how will it impact Winsted?
August 24, 2010 by Linda Scherer
Filed under Howard Lake, Lester Prairie, Mayer, News, Waverly, Winsted
WINSTED, MN – The City of Winsted recently conducted public hearings regarding remodeling of St. Mary’s and addition of a memory loss care facility. During those hearings, it was revealed that St. Mary’s wants to include a pharmacy in the new facility. Winsted’s current pharmacy has been offered the opportunity to open a pharmacy in St. Mary’s. Deb Keaveny, CEO of Keaveny Drug in downtown Winsted, said this puts her “in a pinch” because the community cannot support two pharmacy locations.
Several Winsted businesses will be contacted this week to ask their opinion on the situation and the impact the move could have on the downtown area.
What is your opinion on the situation regarding the pharmacy?
I like having the pharmacy downtown. If it goes into the new location, I’d be more likely to pick up prescriptions at one of the in-store pharmacies where we do some other shopping.
I really like the downtown store. I do hope they stay there, but understand that they need to make the decision that is best for their business.
I think it needs to stay “put” where it is now. This is because so many people can make 1 trip and hit 3 or 4 places: Bank, Drugstore, PO, and Duebers or the library. I think that if it moves, it will be really hard on those people that are so used to making the trip weekly (or more) especially if they are having someone else drive them to their destinations (volunteer or family member).
The important thing to remember here is that Winsted has a Pharmacy. The Pharmacy is not leaving Winsted or going out of business, it’s simply looking at the possibility of re-locating within the Community. To comment that if they move to St. Mary’s you will not get your prescriptions filled there is short sighted at best. A Pharmacy is vital to Winsted and it’s citizens and I for one will continue to have my prescriptions filled at their store no matter where it is located.
Keep the pharmacy downtown, have a pharmacy process at the new facility BUT – WITH ALL THE EMPTY store fronts now, why add another. We have a similar process in our town, we once had two drug stores, now only one but it has a despensing facility at the hospital that is filled by the local owner. It can be a win-win but also moving the facility out of downtown and you have win-lose