Opening of the new pharmacy in October
Magruder Hospital in Port Clinton plans to open a new pharmacy in Bassett’s Market on East Harbor Road in October.
Magruder Hospital President Nick Marsico announced details. The new pharmacy will be located in Bassett’s Market in the Knoll Crest Shopping Center, often called Catawba Island Bassett’s, at 3994 East Harbor Road.
A new pharmacy opens in response to the closure of Rite Aid
“We’re going to open a pharmacy. Magruder Hospital is going to open the pharmacy in Bassetts,” Marsico said. “We’re going to run it as a service business. As a service business, it’s really there to provide a relief valve, especially now that the Rite Aids stores are closing. All of these Rite Aids stores in Michigan and Ohio are closing.”
“Our Rite Aid stores in Oak Harbor, Clyde and Fremont are closing. All records will be transferred to the Walgreens store in Fremont.” He said this on August 19 at the Rite Aid store in Port Clinton.
“Our tentative target date is October 1st. We want to be open by then,” Marsico said. “Bassett’s has a great reputation for great customer service and, frankly, so do we. We can’t think of a better way to work together and provide great service.”
While there will be some time between the Rite Aid closure and the opening of the new pharmacy, he also mentioned the possibility of using the current Magruder Pharmacy.
“We’re currently operating a drive-thru pharmacy here in the backyard. It primarily serves our emergency room patients who leave after their appointment. We also serve the local community and many of our employees,” Marsico said.
This had not been considered in the hospital, but he explained how it came about.
Bassett approached Magruder about opening a pharmacy in the store
“Charlie Bassett contacted me a few months ago. It was his idea. He said, ‘Crazy idea, would I ever consider opening a dispensary in my store? You guys run it. I don’t want to run it,'” Marsico said. Bassett’s Market had one that closed in 2022.
“We have a slightly different business model. I’m not trying to make a profit with it. We want to break even,” Marsico said.
