There’s a new pharmacy in town… And it’s not your typical “over-the-counter” experience.
“We are a firm believer in the body-mind connection,” said Scot Maitland, co-owner of Live Oak Pharmacy. “If you feel good you are gonna be good and healthy and well. So, to be able to provide people with a unique surprise when they walk in the door, that it’s not business as usual at Live Oak Pharmacy, it’s about you.”
Live Oak Pharmacy – located on West 5th street – opened its doors in April. Maitland says it’s not just about counting pills…. It’s about being rooted in the community.
“We’ve really kind of integrated ourselves in the community because we live here; we live downtown and our customers are our neighbors,” Maitland said.
The pharmacy hosts monthly health and wellness education programs and also supports local events such as the Mamma Jamma Ride and the AIDS Walk. But what really makes the pharmacy unique are its services.
Staff at Like Oak mix medicine – also known as compounding – in order to fit the unique needs of each patient.
“Not everything works for everybody,” Maitland said. “We live in a very customized world. You can customize your own car. You can customize your home. Why not customize your medications.”
Patients might request compounding to convert solid pills into liquid form or just to add a dose of their favorite flavor.
Live Oak also has a medication take back program. Customers can bring unused medicine to be disposed of in a safe way. Since the start of the program in April, Live Oak has collected more than 275 pounds of pills.
“We’ve been big advocates of collecting those unused medications that would have otherwise gone into our water supply or into a dumpster somewhere or worse yet into the hands of the hands of our youth,” Maitland said.
At Live Oak, wellness isn’t just about your health… it’s about the wellness of the community.