Crown Coast Pharmacy at 928 Orange Avenue is officially open and will start accepting insurance on April 1.
A local pharmacy at its core, Arash Kohan, the owner and pharmacist, told this anecdote: “Just the other day, we had a couple of folks come in randomly, and they knew each other. They started talking.” That is the type of experience Kohan envisions for customers. “It’s almost like a meeting place for people. That’s what keeps me going.” And going, he has been.
After kick-starting the business with a GoFundMe campaign in September, the Crown Coast Pharmacy’s doors are open for customers to visit and set up their profiles. On April 15, the community is invited to the grand opening ribbon-cutting. “We’re going full force as a functioning pharmacy.”
What makes Crown Coast Pharmacy different
Delivery service will be offered as Kohan is adamant he doesn’t want to have a bottleneck and keep people waiting. “By doubling down on the deliveries, I can help get the medications to our patients faster, in a more organized and better way. They’re not standing in lines trying to access their meds.”
Not only is offering delivery beneficial for all, but Kohan hones in on understanding the demographic he serves. “A lot of our population doesn’t necessarily have access to rides, especially our older patients. Sometimes it’s not easy for them to get around or stand in long lines. [Delivery] helps make sure that everybody gets their medication on time.”
Compounding Perscriptions
Compounding is a field for which Kohan is both experienced and passionate. Examples of this are younger people who may not be able to take a certain type of tablet and could have an easier time with liquid medication, or compounding a dog’s pill into something that’s not a struggle. “It takes me back to my roots. I did different research before I went to pharmacy school. Measuring and compounding were part of my education.” Crown Coast Pharmacy looks forward to caring for the whole household — all family members, including pets — in one location.
From concept to brick-and-mortar
The intricacies of starting a new business were both challenging and fun for Kohan. “I take my hat off to people who have started their own businesses. There’s a lot that goes on in the background that people don’t realize. From a basic payroll, paying your taxes, making sure that you’re compliant with the regulations, to putting up shelving, displaying products, making sure that everything’s done to code.”
In addition to the logistics of opening, being a business owner has been an emotional roller coaster. Kohan had doubts at times, but most days he woke up excited to continue working on it. In the end, it was local support that kept him going. “The community support rejuvenated me each time I had any sort of concern. The other day, a gentleman came in and grabbed some of my [business] cards so they could go to their bridge game and spread the news that I’m opening up. It’s very basic, simple things, acts of kindness and humanity that really restore me and rejuvenate me to keep going.”
Being away from his patients since Rite Aid closed has been hard. “I miss my patients terribly,” Kohan says. “I miss seeing their faces and hearing their stories. It’s exciting to get back to that. We’re getting a glimpse of that now.”
The people behind the scenes
There are many people behind the scenes who helped make this dream a reality for Kohan. “There’s a huge list,” he says. “Every single individual that helped me [on GoFundMe], if it wasn’t for them, I would not have been able to secure the location, get the hardware that I needed, or even start the process.” In addition to the financial help, the overall support made a difference. People have freely offered their expert advice. “Kind people have come in and said, ‘What can I do? This is my expertise,’ or ‘I used to do finance for major companies. Let me tell you a little bit about my experiences, and these are my tips and tricks for you.’”
Kohan wants to thank everyone who has helped. From those who have donated and shared their wisdom to those who have volunteered to pass out business cards to friends and family. Special thanks go out to his family and landlord. “My family has helped out quite a bit, and my landlord, because of the delays I was having, pushed back the lease. It’s a fairy tale how people are stepping up. You hear in the news that everything is dark, grim, and greedy, but it’s not true. I could be very much a first-person example of what a good community can do.”
As the business ramps up, Kohan looks forward to seeing everyone soon and encourages the community to come in and set up their profiles. He’d love to reconnect. For him, success means taking care of the community.
Success is making sure we’re doing things efficiently and that my customers are happy and healthy.
928 Orange Avenue
Hours: Mon-Fri, 9 am – 6 pm
Sat, 10 am – 2 pm
619-436-1066
Website
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