News: Hershey Pharmacy Closed
After 32 years of serving Hershey and the surrounding area, Hershey Pharmacy & Gift Shop has closed its doors.
Owners Chuck and Sara Kray announced the news to The Sun on Monday, Dec. 16, following the store’s last day of business on Saturday, Dec. 14.
“The reality is that community pharmacy is no longer profitable, and we cannot continue serving our community in the way we desire,” the couple wrote in a press release issued to The Sun. “Some prescriptions that we fill for our regular customers cost us hundreds of dollars out of our pocket to continue to fill, and we have no reasonable way to account for this type of economic loss.”
Hershey Pharmacy & Gift Shop, 731 Cherry Dr., opened its doors in 1992 and stayed true to its roots as a small-town pharmacy for the next three decades.
However, Chuck Kray said that the days of having a financially successful Main Street pharmacy are a thing of a past.
“In recent years, pharmacies of all shapes and sizes have closed at an alarming rate across the country. It is a troubling trend, and the impact of predatory pharmacy benefit managers cannot be overstated,” he said.
Kray said he looked at alternatives to closing, such as relocating to a more affordable location or finding a buyer, but in the end, shutting its doors was the best option.
Incidentally, Hershey Pharmacy closed its doors on the same day Mike’s Pharmacy, located 25 miles down the road on Route 422 in Myerstown, announced its closure.
Like Hershey Pharmacy, Kray said, Mike’s just couldn’t with the large pharmacy chains.
Kray said he will continue to operate HersheyCare, located at 501 W. Governor Road, which provides pharmacy services to nursing, personal care, assisted living and independent living facilities throughout the state.
“This is the growth area,” Kray said of his HersheyCare business. “We will continue to do this for a long time.”
‘The Crossing’ Plan
The closure of Hershey Pharmacy is in stark contrast to the talks of expansion, which were considered by Kray in 2017 when a development plan was brought before the township for the parcel at the corner of Fishburn and Governor roads.
The plan, known as The Crossing at Hershey Pharmacy, would have included a Sheetz store and a new 15,000 square-foot Hershey Pharmacy building, which would also have housed HersheyCare.
That plan, however, never came to fruition, and Kray sold the property to Linlo for $5.53 million in 2022.
Kray said he no longer has any business dealings with Linlo, which recently lost a major court battle against the township in its quest to develop the land.
‘Truly Special’
In the wake of the closure, Kray said that it’s the people and serving the community that he will miss the most.
“Hershey is a remarkable community, and to be part of it is truly special,” he wrote. “As we close our doors, we want to express our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you for your loyalty and trust. We’ve considered you not just customers but an extension of our own family.”
Kray said he plans to continue to offer vaccine services at HersheyCare and through other long-term care locations which HersheyCare serves.
If You’re a Customer
Kray said he and his staff are in the process of working with customers to assist them in transferring their prescriptions to other pharmacies. Customers who need assistance can call 717-534-1300.
‘Definitely Sad’
Reaction to the closing news came quickly. On The Sun’s Facebook page, Jennifer Eisenhour said, “We have been going there for the past 15-plus years for my daughter’s prescriptions. They were always wonderful to work with. I’m definitely sad about this and hate that I will have to go to another pharmacy.”
Kay Benner McConnell said, “First, Rhoads in Hummelstown closed (we went there for decades, and were devastated when we heard they were closing). Now Hershey Pharmacy. I hate the only options available are all giant corporations.”
Kimberly Rine Schwalje said, “I worked for Chuck Kray ages ago, first at the Middletown Rhoads and later at Hershey. A shame but he’s right.” Read more at https://news.thesunontheweb.com/articles/hershey-pharmacy-closed/
