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Danny Ray of Ray’s Health Mart Pharmacy, closed his pharmacy in late-September so he could retire. He spent more than 40 years as a pharmacist. (Photo: Laura Peters/The News Leader)
STAUNTON – Danny Ray gets a little wistful when he starts thinking about what his customers have done for him in the last few decades.
People have brought him cakes, pies and sent cards. They’ve made him smile and have become friends.
Ray, the owner of Ray’s Health Mart Pharmacy on North Augusta Street in Staunton, recently closed his business so he could retire. He’s been a pharmacist for more than 40 years.
“It’s been unbelievable,” Ray said. “I’ve never seen such an outpouring of love and gratitude. I’m getting sentimental just thinking about it. It made us feel good … It was really rewarding, like maybe we did a good job.”
Ray’s pharmacy was the last independently-owned pharmacy left in Staunton. He officially closed Sept. 25. All his patients’ prescriptions were transferred to the Walgreens (the former Rite Aid) on Coalter Avenue.
He opened Ray’s Health Mart Pharmacy in 2007. Before that, he owned Gypsy Hill Pharmacy at the corner of Churchville and Grubert avenues where the CVS Pharmacy is currently located. He ran that for a dozen or so years, he said.
Prior to that, He worked at the SupeRx Drug Store, near where the former Big Lots in Staunton’s west end was located.
But he wanted to branch out on his own.
“I actually had people who were customers of mine at SupeRx and I’ve actually seen their babies grow up and they become customers, and now they have babies,” Ray said. “So, it’s been a very rewarding career.”
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He said he was inspired by his older brother who was a pharmacist.
“I always think I was called into pharmacy,” he said. “It was rewarding, I enjoyed it. I felt I could help people. I always tried to practice pharmacy as if I was the one on the receiving end.”
Ray grew up in Danville and moved to Staunton in 1984 after pharmacy school, with his now ex-wife. The two had three children. Ray later got remarried to his now-wife, who had two children prior to their marriage, and together raised their children.
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Pharmacist Danny Ray, owner of Ray’s Health Mart Pharmacy, bags a medication just filled at the pharmacy in Staunton on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016. (Photo: Mike Tripp/The News Leader)
Although Ray is sad to be closing, he said it was time. Now, it’s just a matter of time for the other independent pharmacies to follow. The situation is this: smaller, independent pharmacies are having trouble making ends meet for a number of reasons including the high cost of drugs, not receiving reimbursements and being cut out by patients using mail order services.
“I think the independent pharmacies have a much bigger burden than the larger chains,” Ray said. “(The chains) are buying for thousands of stores and I’m buying for one.”
Profit margins have significantly decreased. What used to be 35 to 45% is now 15 to 20%, Ray said.
“The independents I think they’ll be fewer and fewer,” he said. “Hopefully, I’m wrong.”
Now, Ray hopes to take some time to visit his five children and six grandchildren, who are all scattered throughout the country from Oregon, Colorado, North Carolina and Virginia. He said he and his wife will be taking a cross country trip something this month to visit and see the United States.
Right now, he’s tying up some loose ends and hoping to be able to relax soon.
“I’m looking forward to relaxing,” he said. “I would just like to thank my customers, my friends and my family for the support and love.”
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