Retail news | Pharmacy chain moves in from N.C. to Myrtle Beach

Retail

MYRTLE BEACH

Pharmacy chain moves in from N.C.

The closing of a longtime local pharmacy prompted an N.C. pharmacist to expand to Myrtle Beach to try to fill the void.

Billy Wease, who operates two Prescriptions Plus pharmacies in North Carolina, plans to open a pharmacy in Myrtle Beach to make up for the loss of Northside Pharmacy at 6105 N. Kings Highway, which shut down earlier this month after 50 years in business.

Specialty Pharmacy Myrtle Beach will be at 5900 N. Kings Highway Suite C and aims to open in September. Wease already has hired a pharmacist and a technician, Julia Lorenz, who had spent 23 years working at Northside.

Wease decided to open in Myrtle Beach after stopping in Northside while on vacation and learning it planned to close.

"When he told me that, it broke my heart for those customers," Wease said. "There's no other independents around."

Before Wease's vacation ended, he had decided to open the pharmacy here and hired the two employees.

"That started the ball rolling," he said. "It will be a family-oriented place."

The new pharmacy will fill traditional prescriptions, make compounds, teach classes and have a healthy aging club.

Wease's Prescriptions Plus pharmacies operate in Gastonia, N.C., and Kings Mountain, N.C.

MYRTLE BEACH

Baby store on way

for Mr. Joe White

A baby furniture and accessory store is opening in Myrtle Beach on Saturday.

The Kangaroo Pouch, at 961 Mr. Joe White Avenue near Better Brands, will sell cribs, strollers, car seats, high chairs, blankets and other baby items.

The 6,400-square-foot store will open at 10 a.m. Saturday. It is locally owned by Chris and Matt Richardson, who have a 14-month-old son, Braxton. They wanted to open a store to offer parents more selection of baby furniture.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For the grand opening, officials will have a child car seat safety check from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday.