Another independently-owned pharmacy in Northern Kentucky has closed this year.
Alexandria Drugs is permanently closing at the end of the business day Tuesday, longtime owner Amy Glaser told LINK nky.
The pharmacy was opened in 1956 and has operated out of its current location at 7857 Alexandria Pike ever since. Glaser and her husband purchased the business in 1988, she said.
Alexandria Drugs now joins the likes of Fort Thomas Drug Center and Ludlow Pharmacy — two other pharmacies that permanently closed in 2023. The worsening business environment for independently-owned pharmacies was given as one of the reasons for all three closings.
The three business owners all cited financial pressures brought on by Pharmacy Benefit Managers, third-party companies that are intermediaries between insurance providers and pharmaceutical companies.
All prescription files of Alexandria Drugs customers will be transferred to the Alexandria Walgreens at 1 Viewpoint Dr. across the road from the Walmart Supercenter.
Glaser blamed heightened competition in the pharmaceutical retail industry as the primary reason behind her decision to close up shop.
“It was pretty much a business decision as far as that we’re not making any money as a independent pharmacy,” Glaser said.
She went on to lament the market challenges faced by independently-owned pharmacies.
“Basically, independent anything is in a path to fail and not maintain,” Glaser said. “They just can’t compete.”
Glaser thanked the Alexandria community for their loyalty and patronage over the years.
“We’re going to terribly miss being a part of this wonderful community, and I just hope to see you around. I’ll miss seeing the people.”
