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Grand Forks pharmacists celebrate over 30 years in business

Laura and Graeme Carlson operate Pharmasaves in Grand Forks and Christina Lake
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(L-R) Laura and Graeme Carlson opened Grand Forks’ Pharma Save in 1990. They now run a second store at Christina Lake. Photo: Laurie Tritschler

Laura and Graeme Carslon, owners of Pharmasave Grand Forks, celebrated a huge milestone earlier this year.

The couple has been in business at 330 Central Ave. for 31 years, having opened their doors at that location in 1990.

Much has changed in the intervening decades, Laura told The Gazette Tuesday, Dec. 7. It was a much simpler time in 1990, if the reader will pardon the somewhat clichéd phrase.

The Carlsons had the only pharmacy in town back then, and that’s just for starters. And, if it wasn’t easier to fill out prescriptions at the time, it was definitely less complicated.

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“Things are getting more computerized now,” Laura said. “People aren’t bringing in small prescriptions. They’re submitting ‘scips that are pages long.”

With the extra details has come lengthy “med-reviews” where pharmacy staff screen for potentially harmful interactions in customers taking multiple medications.

“And, we’re doing inoculations now, where we’d never done that before,” she continued. The pharmacy offers flu shots and vaccinations against Hepatitis A and B.

There are two other pharmacies in the Grand Forks area now, and the Carlsons have been running the Christina Lake Pharmasave for going on eight years.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on the Carlsons, their staff and their customers.

Remembering the spring of 2020, Laura said, “We were the only health practitioners that continued to see people face-to-face in those early months.”

“It’s been very difficult,” she said.

But the Carlsons are putting a brave face on it. They’re not going anywhere, anytime soon.

As always, their customers will stay priority No. 1.


 

@ltritsch1
laurie.tritschler@grandforksgazette.ca

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laurie.tritschler@boundarycreektimes.com

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