Berkley Medical Center Pharmacy: Serving Berkley Through the Pandemic & Beyond
By Sara E. Teller
Photos by Bill Gemmell
ADITYA RENGASWAMY AND HADY BEYDOUN, CO-OWNERS OF THE BERKLEY MEDICAL CENTER (BMC) PHARMACY, MAKE THE PERFECT PAIR AS FAR AS BUSINESS PARTNERS GO.
“I am more business-minded and work mainly in the back-office doing our accounting and those types of things,” Rengaswamy explained. “Hady and Eman Beydoun are our staff pharmacists.”
The combination of their expertise proved to be especially essential when the business, located conveniently next door to the BMC, first opened in August 2020, right in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. The pair had to be very strategic about what they planned to do to ensure their business survived.
There are many things that have set the pharmacy apart and have helped their customer base grow quickly. As far as the two are concerned, it has not only survived, but thrived. In fact, the owners have been told this is the first business of its kind to be able to do so in the strip located right on the corner of 12 Mile Rd. and Woodward Ave.
Rengaswamy said, “You can imagine that it was very tough to establish a business during this time. But we’ve been lucky. We made sure to really connect with our neighbors early on and can offer a few things that big-box pharmacies cannot, including free shipping on all orders.” He added, “It helps being able to be in the same location as the medical center, too, so our customers can complete their care all in one spot. This has been a huge draw for them, and the doctors who work at the center have referred their patients to us.”
THE BMC PHARMACY DELIVERS PRESCRIPTIONS FOR FREE NOT ONLY TO BERKLEY RESIDENTS, but all over Southeast Michigan. “I’ve sent orders to downtown Detroit, and all the way to Romulus,” explained Rengaswamy. “That’s not something typically offered by larger pharmacies. Normally customers have to pay a fee.”
The pharmacy also offers much more than medications, including candy bars and other food items that one would normally expect. Adjacent to Kindercare, Rengaswamy and Beydoun are in the midst of planning to supply snack bags to the children who attend.
“We’ll offer a variety of healthy snacks,” said Rengaswamy and adding, jokingly, “Of course, we can’t just give the kids apples or they wouldn’t be very happy with us! We plan to include fruit snacks and an assortment of other healthy options as well.”
And, even if the beginning was a bit tough, in the coming months, the two plan to expand their footprint in the community.
“In the post-pandemic era, we’d like to do much more than this,” said Rengaswamy. “I’m proud to have become a board member of the Chamber of Commerce and be much more involved.”
FOR NOW, THE PHARMACY TEAM HAS JUST BEGUN TO THINK BEYOND STABILIZATION, And the owners are brainstorming next steps. “Be on the lookout,” Rengaswamy was able to share. “We’re planning to post more pharmacist positions soon. We not only offer a certain level of convenience for our customers, we’re also hoping to help the community by offering good-paying jobs.”
They enjoy being situated in the close-knit Berkley community, and surrounded by many neighboring ones, saying, “We’re able to really get to know our customers, their kids, and their families. They’re not just a number.” The word-of-mouth marketing has definitely helped the pharmacy gain a footing in Berkley and the owners are looking forward a bright future with plenty of reasons to give back in a big way.
Berkley Medical Center Pharmacy
1695 12 Mile Rd., Suite 210 second floor, Berkley
248.591.4489
