ST. LOUIS — A locally Black-owned pharmacy is filling the gap in patient care that will be left behind when the Walgreens at 1400 N. Grand Boulevard closes early next month.

GreaterHealth Pharmacy and Wellness has already gained more than 100 new customers since the announcement of the Walgreens closure and expects to receive approximately 500 to 1,000 total, according to Marcus Howard, founder of GreaterHealth.

“Our goal is to be a staple in the community and so this gives us an opportunity to step up and show people why we’re in the community,” Howard said.

The Walgreens in the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood is set to close April 9. The parent company, Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc., previously announced plans to close 200 stores nationwide by the end of fiscal year 2024.

“We’re just excited to be able to step up to the plate,” Howard said. “This is why you need a community pharmacy, so that we can support these people.”

If someone would like to transfer pharmacies, they can call GreaterHealth and provide them with their date of birth and phone number. Staff will then contact Walgreens to shift their medications over.

“We make it a very seamless process,” Howard said.

He noted that GreaterHealth accepts insurance and helps those who are on Medicare and Medicaid.

The pharmacy, located at 5503 Delmar Boulevard, offers free delivery for medication in a 15-20-mile radius.

“Our delivery radius is pretty wide, so the areas in which the Walgreens are closing, whether it’s north city or south city, we’re able to get those people switched over and delivery to them,” Howard said.

GreaterHealth opened in late 2022 with a mission to make trusted pharmacy care available to underrepresented identities, including race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, religion and socioeconomic status.

The pharmacy has helped more than 2,000 St. Louis residents and has made more than 10,000 home deliveries across the city and county.

GreaterHealth also has been working with senior living facilities to help with pharmacy transitions.

Marcus said new customers have been relieved by the easy transfer process.

“A lot of people feel like it’s a scary process and a lot of people are intimidated or scared about what’s going to happen to their medication, what’s going to happen to their insurance, but people are really surprised at easy it is to transfer over,” Howard said.

He mentioned GreaterHealth helped fill the pharmacy gap last year when another area Walgreens closed.

The pharmacy also is receiving new customers from Walgreens locations that are not closing.

“If they keep sending you to another Walgreens and that Walgreens is going to close, you might as well use a pharmacy that’s going to be here and delivery to you,” he said.

Howard said he is looking forward to meeting new community members ad helping them with their pharmacy needs.

For more information about GreaterHealth and Wellness, click here.