A resource for personal healthcare solutions
Independent pharmacies within the local community are an essential and an easy-to-access resource that can help in identifying personalized solutions for a myriad of healthcare needs. Two such businesses in the area are Lake Murray Drug Co. and Chapin Pharmacy. Both of these drugstores strive to closely connect with each customer to better provide comprehensive services that enhance the individual’s wellness journey.
“We like to know people by name,” said Shannon Carter, co-founder of Lake Murray Drug Co. “Once you come in, you’re part of our ‘pharmaly.’ We care about our people, and they’re not just a number to us. We try to take care of everybody like we would want our parents, grandparents, or our family taken care of.” Lake Murray Drug Co., a locally owned pharmacy, strives to provide personal, tailor-made services in the communities where they operate. Originally established in 2018 in Chapin by husband-and-wife team Justin and Shannon Carter with their colleague Will Rodgers, the brand expanded when a second branch was opened in Irmo in 2021.
At one time, “The three of us all worked at a local pharmacy in Chapin,” recalled Justin Carter. After leaving there and pursuing other career options, “We all came back together to try to provide to our community what we knew pharmacy could be and what we felt like we couldn’t provide in our corporate setting.” The Lake Murray Drug Co. was just a fledgling business when the COVID crisis occurred in early 2020, and because the pharmacy was willing to provide basic necessities that were difficult to find, Chapin residents soon discovered and appreciated their presence and provisions. “We grew a lot,” said Ms. Carter, a pharmacy technician who oversees the “business side” of operations. “We had cars and cars in our drive-thru picking up toilet paper during COVID.”
“We have always gone out of our way to make sure we can take care of what people need,” she added, “our main goal is taking care of people, and that was what the community needed at the time and that’s what we did.” Their service-oriented mindset continues today. In addition to filling prescriptions for both people and pets, other special amenities include flavoring liquid medicines, making deliveries, and synchronizing and packaging prescriptions to enhance the accuracy of dosages. Lake Murray Drug Co. in Irmo offers on-site compounding, and these customized prescriptions can also be picked up at the Chapin location. Additionally, they offer high-quality, all-natural products by Rowe Casa Organics and a wide range of CBD pharmaceuticals.
Like most pharmacies, they provide vaccines, but every time a customer receives one at Lake Murray Drug Co., they donate $3 to a local charity, which “goes right back to the community,” said Ms. Carter. Another unique way the store supports their neighbors is by stocking gifts like earrings and candles made by local entrepreneurs. “Our goal is to take care of our community, but also our team,” Ms. Carter said. “The team at Lake Murray Drug, we care about them like family, so our goal is to continue to be able to do that and support our people and our community in everything we do.”
Another area drugstore, Chapin Pharmacy, has been serving the town for more than 30 years. When the current owners, Kyle and Pam McHugh purchased the store about eight years ago, Chapin Pharmacy joined the McHugh Pharmacy Group, a chain of 15 independent drugstores that operate in the North and South Carolina region. “All but three stores are within an hour of Columbia,” said Kyle McHugh. “We believe in personalized healthcare solutions at Chapin Pharmacy, and we provide healthcare items for the community,” continued McHugh. To that end, the store stocks standard products like durable medical equipment, incontinence supplies, basic health and beauty aids, medications, and immunizations.
“Our focus is personalized healthcare solutions,” McHugh continued. “We do anything that we’re legally allowed to do as pharmacists to make your healthcare experience easier and quicker.” Examples of these above-and-beyond measures include organizing medications in disk-pill packaging by time of day, synchronizing and filling several prescriptions on the same day every month, refilling medications online, offering basic diagnostic testing services, and delivering prescriptions to patients’ homes.
“That store has a very good delivery market,” McHugh said. “We have some older folks that just can’t get out, and it works out really well for them, and we also have some busy moms that can’t get out, and it works out well for them also.” For those who pick up their medications from the drugstore, Chapin Pharmacy’s staff recently modified their storefront hours to be more accommodating for patients with traditional workweek schedules. “This last year,” McHugh said, “we’ve updated the hours to make it easier for folks, we went from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., so they could come before work and after work instead of just after work, so that was a convenience.”
“We also have a partnership with our compounding pharmacy, True Compounding,” he added, “so if you have a prescription that needs to be customized for you, whether it’s hormones or dosage form or anything like that, we can get that to you, and you can pick it up right there in Chapin.”
“We probably have double the staff than most pharmacies, and that’s for the patient’s benefit, obviously, not a bottom-line thing, because that’s not what we’re about,” said McHugh. “We are about taking care of the patients.”
“Pharmacists are the most accessible members of the healthcare team, with 95% of Americans living within five miles of a pharmacy,” said Brian Clark, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the South Carolina Pharmacy Association (SCPhA). Founded in 1876, “The mission of SCPhA is to serve its members by enabling them to advance the practice and science of pharmacy,” said Clark. “As the leading voice for pharmacy professionals across South Carolina, SCPhA is dedicated to advocating for the profession, providing high-quality education, and fostering collaboration.”
Originally from Mullins, South Carolina, Clark completed the College of Pharmacy degree program at the Medical University of South Carolina. Upon graduation, he began his career working for a large chain drugstore in Louisville, Kentucky, where he met his wife, who is also a pharmacist. Together, they returned to South Carolina and moved to Chapin in 2011. “We absolutely love it here!” he said.
After relocating to the area, Clark took a position as a pharmacy district manager in a regional grocery chain, but eventually, he decided to transition into an independent community pharmacy practice. While working as a pharmacist in South Carolina, “I began actively engaging with the South Carolina Pharmacy Association in 2010 at the encouragement of a close friend,” he recalled. “My journey started with volunteering at the committee level, which eventually led to running for the House of Delegates and later serving on the Board of Directors.”
“When the association began its search for a new CEO in mid-2022,” he said, “it took several months of encouragement from my fellow board members to consider applying for the position. After interviewing multiple candidates and with the strong urging of the majority of the board, I submitted my application in late winter of 2023.” Since he was appointed CEO, he said, “It has been an honor to lead the organization that has been such an integral part of my professional journey.”
With his vast experience—from working at both the corporate and grassroots level to being involved with the state’s pharmacy association—Clark has developed a broad understanding of the industry. “Locally owned pharmacies play an essential role in our communities,” he said. “These pharmacies are owned by members of the local community who often sponsor local sports teams, contribute to community events, and go above and beyond by opening after hours to fill emergency prescriptions.”
“Beyond dispensing medications, pharmacists are clinically trained healthcare professionals capable of providing a wide range of services, including administering vaccines, managing chronic conditions, and offering health and wellness consultations,” he added. As mentioned by the owners of Lake Murray Drug Co. and Chapin Pharmacy, Clark reiterates: “These pharmacists know their patients by name and frequently care for multiple generations within the same family. They provide personalized care that is unmatched by larger chains.”
“Supporting locally owned pharmacies helps ensure that these community-centered services remain available, fostering stronger, healthier communities,” he said. “If you haven’t taken the time to get to know your local pharmacist, I strongly encourage you to do so. They are an invaluable resource and partner in your health journey.”
Lake Murray Drug Co.
105 Snapdragon Court, Suite A in
Chapin, SC
2 Palmetto Wood Parkway
Suite 100
Irmo, SC
803-212-9999
Chapin Pharmacy/McHugh Pharmacy Group
138A Amicks Ferry Road
Chapin, SC
803-345-1114