Rite Aid closure leaves one pharmacy in Harrison County

CADIZ, Ohio (WTRF) — It’s a county of more than 14,000, all of whom will soon have only one place to pick up a prescription.

The Cadiz Rite Aid will be closing in months, leaving a hometown pharmacy as Harrison County’s only medication dispensary.

Just about all Rite Aid locations in Ohio are going out of business, leaving Custer Pharmacy and its staff of three technicians, three pharmacists and cashiers to handle every Harrison County medication order.

It’s a heavy workload to take on, but they say their 94 years of consistent service is a good starting place.

The staff says in an age of telehealth and mail-order prescriptions, they know their customers.

They’re there to answer whatever questions you have on drug interactions and adverse reactions, and even if you’re taking medication correctly.

There’s no hold music or phone trees: just walk right in.

“You’re going to walk through these doors and you’re going to see a smiling face. You’re going to walk through these doors and you’re going to know you have a team whose sole purpose is to increase the quality of your life. And you’re going to walk through the doors and know that you have the best team in the area.”

Patrick Hela, Director of Pharmacy

The nearly century-old pharmacy has also teamed with WVU Medicine, just like the nearby Harrison Community Hospital.

It says that connection provides new more resources and faster service.

The partnership also allows them to offer vaccines and even injectable medications that have been difficult to find most of the year.

Custer is closing in on a century in Cadiz, and says it plans on counting capsules for another 100 years.

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