Brewster Marketplace owners announce acquisition of Brewster Drug

BREWSTER – Customers of Brewster Drug and True Value Hardware will find a new look and new name to go along with new ownership and management as Brewster Marketplace owners Sabrina O’Connell and Yvonne and Victor Vargas assumed the day-to-day operations of the store on Monday, Nov. 6.
The trio had been in negotiations with Brewster Drug and True Value owner Brian Johnson since about Sept. 1, to purchase the next-door business with a projected closing date of Dec. 1 of this year. Unanticipated developments earlier this month prompted O’Connell and the Vargas’s to accelerate their involvement in the hardware and pharmacy to avoid an interruption of services to the community.
“Brian came to us on Nov. 1 and said that he had some medical reasons that he was going to need to physically step away with a two-or three-day window,” said O’Connell. “On Saturday, Nov. 4, we executed a special power of attorney that he and his wife signed that gave my sister and I and Victor acting management duties in his absence until the purchase and sale can actually close.”
Until the new owners are approved for their pharmacy license, the store cannot dispense controlled substances. The initial closing date has been extended to accommodate the extra time needed to acquire a new pharmacy license.
 “That process takes anywhere from eight to 12 weeks, so the purchase and sale will have to coincide with the issuance of the license for the pharmacy,” said O’Connell “so that’s why we had to stretch that out.”
O’Connell said that as soon as they have the license to own and operate the pharmacy they can proceed to the next step of applying for the Drug Enforcement Agency registration that will allow the ordering and dispensing of controlled substances.
The new name of the business will be the Brewster Marketplace Pharmacy and True Value Hardware.
“We actually have filed that name and UBI tax number with the Secretary of State,” said O’Connell. “We had to do that as part of our application for the pharmacy license.”
To help with the transition process, Trent Danielson, owner of Okanogan Valley Pharmacy will serve as pharmacy manager while the owners search for a permanent one.
Pateros resident, Thomas Steggall, has been brought in as store manager.
In the meantime, it’s “boots on the ground,” said O’Connell as the new owners take it one day at a time, cleaning, rearranging, moving overflow inventory and making the aisles more accessible for those using wheelchairs “which has been a problem in the past,” O’Connell said.
Store hours and staffing remain the same as the new owners work to maintain a “business as usual” atmosphere.
“As we go through each day we are focusing on baby steps,” said O’Connell. “One square inch at a time, has become our slogan.”
 “For all of us involved it’s just about preservation for the communities we serve,” said O’Connell. “We’re doing this to keep the doors open, make it better and keep serving our customers because they’re everything and in a small town we don’t want them to have to go without anything.”
Pharmacy hours will remain from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday with regular store hours from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday – Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays.
Qualified individuals interested in the position of pharmacy manager are invited to contact Danielson or O’Connell at (509) 689-2421.