Now officially open at 3001 Ormond Blvd. in Destrehan, NOLA Discount Pharmacy clearly made it a priority to make their newly opened store feel like home to longtime pharmacy patients in the area.
The store operates from the same location Destrehan Discount Pharmacy served customers for years before moving in 2018 into what was its final location before its recent closure. NOLA Discount Pharmacy, which is part of the same nationwide pharmacy network as Destrehan Pharmacy was, has also brought aboard several staff members who worked for Destrehan Pharmacy before it closed its doors.
While the name on the store is different, the same friendly faces await the location’s longtime customers inside.
“I’m very excited to be here and able to see all the familiar faces,” said Valarie Maronge, who worked with Destrehan Pharmacy for four years. “And I think they’re happy to have the same customer service they’ve had for years.”
Maronge said working with the pharmacy’s customers is about more than just filling a prescription, but offering a friendly hello and creating the kind of warm, welcoming environment one won’t find everywhere else.
“It’s nice to know them by name and know what’s going on in their life … and then just seeing them around the neighborhood,” Maronge said. “It’s a small town where everyone knows each other. So for us, having outgoing personalities and welcoming them into our store, I think that’s something everyone enjoys.”
Tasha Luquette, a technician who worked for Destrehan Pharmacy for more than two years, agreed that the small town comfort visitors have found at the store for years is something valuable to carry over, and not just for longtime customers.
[pullquote]“It’s nice to know them by name and know what’s going on in their life.” – Valarie Maronge[/pullquote]“We’ve gained new customers from over in Metairie,” Luquette said, noting NOLA Discount Pharmacy’s customer base in Metairie where there are two pharmacies under the banner. “We learn who our customers are and treat them like family and friends. I think that works better for everyone than it being something where it feels like there’s no name, no face once they check out.”
Cashier Jordan Sclafini said that she never wanted to leave Destrehan Pharmacy, but that the store’s closing of course necessitated it.
“But I knew I wanted to be back in this place and work with these people,” said Sclafini, who worked with the previous store for more than a year. “It just feels like home.”
She said when a customer walks in, it’s about making them the No. 1 priority.
“You’re the center of attention,” she said. “We’ll help in any way we can to help them find what they need. If we don’t have it, we can order it. We try to be there for them.”
The pharmacy also prioritizes providing shorter wait times for its customers, aiming to fill prescriptions in 15 minutes or less, as well as working one on one with patients to help them understand what their insurance can provide and what road blocks can come up in the process. As the name suggests, discount, affordable pricing is also a priority.
NOLA Discount Pharmacy can be reached by calling (985) 307-0800. For more information, visit nolapharmacy.com or the NOLA Pharmacy Facebook page.
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