With many drug stores in and around the River Region, finding one that can make patients feel welcome and an actual part of the family isn’t always easy, unless you’re talking about Jones Drugs.
James Jones opened his first Jones Drugs in Prattville in February 1996 and since then has added stores in Montgomery, Greenville, Millbrook and Phenix City.
“All employee attitudes generally flow from the top,” said Registered Pharmacist and Store Manager of the Millbrook location, Penny Hamilton. “I can honestly say James Jones has a heart for people and his community. He saw a need that wasn’t being met, and endeavored to correct it.”
Hamilton, in quoting Jones, said, “This isn’t a job. It’s a calling”.
The Millbrook Store Manager, who said her first job was wrapping Christmas presents in a small pharmacy, has been a pharmacist in the Millbrook community for over 20 years and said she even worked at some of the “big box chain” drug stores.
“There is no comparison, in my opinion, between us at Jones Drugs and the bigger chains,” Hamilton said. “Come and see and feel the difference.”
She also commented that helping to open the Millbrook store was an honor.
“The people in our community are awesome and have supported us so much,” she stated. “Healthcare is also my calling. I love people and helping them be their healthiest is my passion. There aren’t enough independent pharmacies around anymore, in my opinion.”
Jones Drugs in Millbrook does offer the traditional services expected from a pharmacy, including filling prescriptions, answering questions concerning medicines and health, offering all of the traditional immunizations, flu shots, Covid immunizations and boosters.
According to Hamilton, however, there’s a lot more to Jones.
“We also offer free local delivery,” she said. “Many of our patients are homebound for whatever reason and we gladly take their medications to them at no extra charge. We have always offered curb service and will continue to do so. Just pull up in our parking lot, call the number on the posted sign and we will be out to help.”
The location also offers a “free set-up” annually, which allows customers with Diabetes to get much-needed assistance.
“Our owner felt it was a shame that so many of our diabetic patients couldn’t afford to check their blood sugar. You can’t control your diabetes if you don’t know your numbers,” Hamilton explained. “He formed a partnership so we are able to offer anyone, whether they use our store for their prescriptions or not, a free set-up annually, which includes a meter, 50 strips, a lancet device and lancets. Then we offer a bargain price of $9.99 thereafter for each box of strips, or buy three and get one free.”
The Millbrook store, besides having a bargain wall for customers to save money on basic items, also offers a unique feature other larger stores don’t include.
“We have an awesome boutique within our store called ‘Penny Lane Boutique and Gifts’ with a wide selection of trendy fashions and accessories and unique gift ideas,” she said. “And always, free gift wrapping. Our boutique manager, Stacy LeMaster has over 30 years’ experience in the fashion industry.”
On top of that, Jones works hand-in-hand with the community to help folks around them.
“We host a ‘Drug Take Back’ event twice a year,” said the manager. “This is a nationwide event put on by the DEA. The goal is to get all unwanted, expired or no longer needed medications out of the home. This prevents children from accidental poisonings, cuts down on the burglaries and break-ins from drug seekers, and keeps this medication out of our water supply.”
The store also visits the Senior Center, checking everyone’s blood pressure and blood sugar free-of-charge and coordinates with apartment managers to host breakfasts for our local senior citizens living in surrounding apartments, also offering blood sugar and blood pressure checks and having door prizes.
“We support our local schools and events with donations,” Hamilton added. “We truly are a part of the community and our dollars go back into the community.”
Above all, Hamilton said that what makes Jones Dugs extra special is the people working there.
“So, what makes Jones Drugs different? It is our staff,” she said. “We have the best technicians and associates in the industry. Each one of them has a heart for helping people. We don’t just hire warm bodies, and besides being competent, they have to be a good fit for our mission, ‘Welcome to Jones Drugs, where we treat you like family’. That means they truly care. Stacy, Missy, Courtney and Amy have over 50 years of combined healthcare work experience. They work so hard to find additional discounts for our patients on their copays, to make sure our patients don’t have to wait more than 15 minutes, and most importantly, to make them feel like family.”
For more information about Jones Drugs, which is located at 4117 Hwy 14 in Millbrook, call
334-523-8921 or visit them online at www.jonesdrugs.com.
If you would like your business featured please contact Brenda Dennis with the Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce at 334-285-0085.
