Natural Pharmacy, October 1997

PHARMACY SPOTLIGHT:
NUTRI-FARMACY, WILDWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA

What happens when a pharmacist stops doing business as usual and stocks nothing but natural products? In the case of Dan Wagner, R.Ph., it spells both increased revenues and increased job satisfaction.

For 17 years Wagner operated his own independent retail pharmacy in Wildwood, Pennsylvania, which is near Pittsburgh. But, earlier this year he sold that pharmacy, and in April 1997, he opened a natural pharmacy. "I have been," he says, "a lifelong proponent of the environment, natural healing, a healthy diet and lifestyle, and plant medicines."

Wagner's interest in plant medicines has led him to take five trips to the rainforests, in such locales as the Amazon, Guatemala, and Africa, to study natural medicines and healing firsthand. Natural Pharmacy recently interviewed him about his new and already thriving Nutri-Farmacy operation.

Natural Pharmacy: How much has business increased since you opened?
Dan Wagner: Business has steadily grown each week since I opened on April 15, 1997. 1 must admit that the increases have been mainly due to the very favorable exposure I've received from Pittsburgh TV and radio stations and especially the newspapers. Free advertising beats paying for it, and the idea of a community pharmacist going "natural" can be big news.

NP: Can you tell us what you expect to gross your first year and what you project for the following year?
DW: I think my gross the first year should be between $250,000 and $325,000. I hope to expand into more areas in the following years: disease state management with nutritionals; public classes in vitamins and herbs; stress management; and yoga. That should help increase revenues 20 percent or more each year. It's hard to say exactly what will happen because the possibilities are unlimited.

NP: Have you picked up any promotional or selling tricks in local health food stores?
DW: Not really. I'm mostly employing marketing skills that I acquired as a retail community pharmacist for 22 years. However, I'm probably stronger as an educator than as a marketer. I do encourage my seven employees to help in the marketing area, however, and we have frequent brainstorming sessions.

NP: How do you advertise and promote your pharmacy?
DW: I mainly advertise through direct mail, magazines, and some radio. I also produced my own brochure that I mailed to all my former customers from my retail pharmacy business. And I've contacted area health professionals, doctors, dentists, podiatrists, chiropractors, and psychiatrists, to explain the interventions I can make as a pharmacist/herbalist to provide their patients with more education and information.

NP: Do your customers tend to be loyal? How do you encourage their loyalty?
DW: My customers are very loyal. They appreciate the extra personal attention and intervention I can provide. They also value the opinions, information, and education that they get at Nutri-Farmacy. And the testimonials I've received so far have been very gratifying. Customer loyalty is an important factor for me, especially with the big chains and supermarkets promoting alternative products with big advertising budgets.

NP: How do you decide whether to stock a new line of products or a new hot item?
DW: It's important for me to trust the manufacturer. If I'm not familiar with a certain manufacturer, I'll look into its background and reputation, study its product line, and call a few professional colleagues for their opinions. And, of course, attending large trade shows is helpful in learning about the different companies out there.

NP: Do you stock controversial supplements, such as hormones? Are there any natural products you've decided against or haven't added yet?
DW: Well, I do stock some controversial items, such as DHEA [dehydroepiandrosteronel. I'm not an ardent proponent of this product, but I think it has value in treating autoimmune problems. My store is an animal and environment friendly pharmacy. I do not stock animal-made products, such as shark cartilage. I prefer capsules made of vegetable/water coatings rather than animal or alcohol-based substances.

NP: How many lines do you carry in each category?
DW: My store definitely concentrates more on vitamins, herbs, and nutritionals than on homeopathy. I probably carry between 10 and 12 lines.

NP: Which category of product is the best profit producer?
DW: It's hard to say at this early point, but I can tell you that a number of specific individual products have been very profitable for me so far. These include St. John's wort, glucosamine, coenzyme Q10, calcium, magnesium, and valerian.

NP: Do you plan to offer any special educational events in-store for customers?
DW: I'm starting to offer classes in stress management, vitamin/herbal therapy, nutrition, for both adults and children, and beginning yoga. I have a classroom that fits about 15 people. The classes will run one day a week for a 4-week period, and they will cost about $45 on the average.

NP: What does an average natural product sale amount to at Nutri-Farmacy?
DW: The average sale per customer is about $34.

NP: What health-related questions do customers ask you the most?
DW: The most commonly asked questions probably have to do with natural estrogen alternatives, weight-loss products, arthritis pain and inflammation treatments, and relief of mild-to-moderate depression and allergy. I give consultations to many people, usually in 20-minute sessions.

NP: Do you plan to put a nutritionist or other type of alternative health professional on staff?
DW: I want to do more diagnostic lab work, so I may need a nurse, a nutritionist, chiropractor, dietitian, or acupuncturist in the future. Each would, however, have to fit with my style of natural pharmacy practice.

NP: Do you network with health care professionals in your community?
DW: So far I've networked with two physicians, a chiropractor, and a massage therapy center. I'm also working actively with three Pittsburgh-based hospitals about counseling patients on nutritional and alternative approaches. And I'll be presenting seminars to senior-citizen groups involved with the hospitals and lecturing on natural pharmacy to pharmacy schools.

NP: What sort of nutritional supplements and natural products do you use personally?
DW: I personally take a good multivitamin with antioxidants and a progreen supplement every day. I'm in good physical shape and eat a healthy vegetarian diet. I tell all my patients that a good diet and exercise comes first and that I believe that that's much more important than supplementation. However, the standard American diet is lacking in so many nutrients that supplementation does become essential for many people.

NP: Do you have plans to expand?
DW: Although I've already been asked if I'm going to franchise, I haven't given it any serious thought. I think I'd rather just share my ideas with other pharmacists, so that they can participate in this exciting and worthwhile field. Maybe they'll even be inspired to travel to the rainforests and experience the overall scope of medicine in a more holistic and natural way.

NP: How do you picture the natural pharmacy of the next decade?
DW: The natural pharmacy of the next decade may be similar to what Nutri-Farmacy is today. More stores will be devoted exclusively to alternatives without their being just an adjunct to the sale of over-the-counter preparations and pharmaceuticals. I'm hoping that more stores will try to encourage more synergy between allopathic medicine and complementary medicine for the health of their patients.



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