Mark’s Pharmacy is set to open a third location where Bryson City Pharmacy once operated at Valley Village Shopping Center in mid-June.
“We are a family-owned business and customer service is what we are known for,” said
Ameer Adam. “We get to know people like family.”
Adam is the son of Mark Adam and a brother to Faisal Adam. Adam’s dad runs the Waynesville pharmacy location, while his brother runs the Sylva pharmacy location.
“We felt like Bryson City needed a pharmacy,” Adam said. “There’s only a Walgreens here, so we’d like to take care of the people who live here.”
The Bryson City location is roughly 2,200 square feet to include retail, dispensing prescriptions, compounding, over-the-counter medications, health consultations, pill packaging for nursing and assisted living homes, long term care services and more.
“I can get meds ready in 10 minutes,” Adam said. “Usually, I can purchase meds and get them the next day.”
Adam earned his Doctor of Pharmacy from East Tennessee State University in 2024. Like father, like son, he comes equipped with a lifetime of experience.
“I always worked as a kid,” Adam said. “I was born into it. I worked in our Sylva location for one year. This will be my first pharmacy on my own.”
Adam recognized the various pharmaceutical struggles some clients face. For him, success means providing one-on-one, comprehensive customer care.
“I get a lot of satisfaction in making a difference,” said Adam. “It can be hard to deal with insurance companies. My motivator is 100 percent transparency and always finding options for my clients.”
Adam added that he would like to grow with the Bryson City population to meet client needs now and in the future.
“We hope to do more to fill the gaps in healthcare,” he said. “Chain pharmacies are decreasing and independents are increasing.”
According to the 2024 National Community Pharmacists Association Digest, sponsored by Cardinal Health, approximately 19,000 independent pharmacies operated across the country in 2023.
Independent pharmacies dispensed more than 1.1 billion prescriptions.
As of June 2024, independent pharmacies made up a significant portion of the pharmaceutical market with 18,984 locations in comparison to 19,075 traditional chain pharmacies, 9152 supermarket pharmacies and 7225 mass merchants.
“A lot of people like to shop local with more of a family feel,” Adam said. “Chains are closing a bunch of stores. We just want to give back.”
Mark’s Pharmacy is located at 836 Asheville Highway, Sylva and 97 Kent Lane, Waynesville. Its new location will be located in the Valley Village Shopping Center.