Indy franchisees a model of pharmacy ‘Care’ in nation’s capital

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — It’s a 53-store collection of independents that serves as a model of neighborhood pharmacy to the nation’s lawmakers. That’s in part thanks to the number of Care pharmacies operating in the nation’s capital and in part due to the franchisee-owned group’s proximity to the headquarters of the National Community Pharmacist Association, which is located across the hall.


“[That proximity] really is an opportunity for us to represent independent pharmacy,” said Michael Wysong, Care CEO. 


Looking forward, Care continues to target growth of 30% on top of the group’s purchasing volume each year. With an estimated 2009 sales volume of $215 million, Care will be bringing on several new franchisee/owners in New Jersey and Pennsylvania early in 2011. “The interest in Care is really starting to stretch outside of our normal boundaries of Washington, D.C.; Maryland; and Northern Virginia,” Wysong said. 


Also within the Care family is a strong specialty pharmacy vibe. Care has been the exclusive administrator of Washington’s DC AIDS Drug Assistance Program contract for the past eight years. In addition, many Care pharmacies pursue various specialty pharmacy disciplines — some of the largest fertility pharmacies in the country operate under the Care banner, for example.