small business spotlight
A to Z Pharmacy EDITED BY AMBER KEISTER | PHOTOGRAPHED BY JONATHAN FREDIN
PHARMACIST KRISTEN MOORE wasn’t looking to start a business when she was laid off from her job at a Cary Rite Aid. Her loyal customers convinced her to give entrepreneurship a try, and Moore opened A to Z Pharmacy in March 2019. The business was named for its inventory — a little bit of everything — and for her children’s initials — Andrew, Abby and Zach. Although the shop is new, Moore has an experienced team. One of her first hires was pharmacist Debbie Skakle, who joined the A to Z team in April 2020. Previously employed at the Cary Harris Teeter pharmacy, Skakle has been a pharmacist for more than 25 years.
“She has brought more than 500 patients with her from Harris Teeter pharmacy, and is most likely the reason we’re still open,” said Moore about her colleague. “She has a passion for her patients and goes above and beyond consistently for them and for me.” Owning an independent pharmacy hasn’t been easy, but Moore says connecting with and serving customers makes it worthwhile. She recently shared a few thoughts about the business.
Our store was closed, and I was laid off. I hunted for a new job for a little while, but my patients encouraged me to open my own store. I thought it was impossible until I heard it enough times to look into actually doing it. The idea of not being bound to quotas and metrics and being able to get back to providing excellent patient care was a huge motivator for me. What services or products do you offer that are different from a chain
Why did you want to open your
pharmacy?
own pharmacy?
Debbie (Skakle) and I know our patients by name. We know about their medicine, as well as their kids, jobs, grandkids,
I was a pharmacy manager at Rite Aid in Cary, and Walgreens bought the chain.
Kristen Moore, owner of A to Z Pharmacy, offers many services that larger, chain shops don’t, including custom blister-packaging and medication delivery. 64
APRIL 2021
