Malvern Family Pharmacy opens
Pharmacist Brandi Dingler had worked at Young’s Health Mart Pharmacy on South Main Street for almost nine years when, one day this past August, the owner, Mr. Doug Young, informed her and her fellow employees that he was retiring and had sold the business.
Dingler and the rest of the staff were happy for their beloved boss to receive a well- deserved retirement after serving the Malvern community for over 40 years, but they were taken aback when the hometown pharmacy closed its doors mere days after the business changed hands.
Fortunately, Dr. Michael Butler reached out to them. Butler owns numerous pharmacies in Arkansas— three in Hot Springs Village and four others around the state. “He owns several other pharmacies, and when he found out that Young’s was closing, he approached us and asked if he opened a store here if we would like to work for him,” Dingler stated. “Three of us decided yes, we would.”
Dingler, along with pharmacist Steve Walker, and pharmacy tech Dawn Starkey, started working for Butler the following week. Butler soon began renovations at 902 Martin Luther King Blvd. for his new business venture, but until the doors could officially open for business in Malvern, the three former Young’s employees worked out of Butler’s Fountain Lake Family Pharmacy in neighboring Garland County.
“We were working out of Fountain Lake, the owner also owns that pharmacy, so we were actually able to fill prescriptions at Fountain Lake and then deliver them back to our customers every afternoon,” Dingler stated.
Dingler, Walker, and Starkey are now settled in at the new location on MLK Blvd., along with new hires Crystal Mullins, pharmacy tech, and Jonathan Hardage, pharmacy student. The staff at Malvern Family Pharmacy are thrilled to be in their new home, and the former Young’s employees are excited to see their former patrons and serve new customers, as well.
The staff at Malvern Family Pharmacy invite one and all to visit their new location in the Teeter Plaza on the south end of the building, between Walco Street and Martin Luther King Blvd, and in front of the Teeter’s Motor Company housed on West Moline Street.
Malvern Family Pharmacy offers prescription delivery and can easily help you transfer all your prescriptions to their location. They have a dedicated shot room where customers will be able to get immunizations in the near future. The pharmacy also has a drivethrough window for customers who would rather pick up meds without leaving the comfort of their vehicle. Their phone number is 501- 732- 7950, and hours of operation are Monday- Friday, 8 a. m.- 6 p. m., and Saturday, 8 a. m.- 1 p. m.