Healthy Living
There are many pharmacy options in and around Birmingham. What makes Mills Pharmacy different? “We simply strive to treat our customers like people we genuinely care about. In a business where most of the volume is dominated by publicly traded companies who are concerned with stock prices, that sets us apart,” says Josh Hardin, PharmD, one of three local owners of Mills Pharmacy, now serving families in 13 communities in Central Alabama.
Robert Mills opened the first Mills Pharmacy location (previously named Robert’s Discount Pharmacy) in 2002. In 2020, he retired, and three long time members of his team took the helm- Joe Jones, Beetina Long, and Josh Hardin. “It was a challenging circumstance, as we purchased the business on March 16, which was the last day before the COVID pandemic began,” Joe Jones, PharmD, says, adding, “Despite the challenge, our fantastic teams at our 13 locations have gone above and beyond to serve our longtime and new customers in Central Alabama.”
The owners have a combined 40 years of experience in the Mills Pharmacy family. Long has worked on the operations side of the business for 15 years and has seen the pharmacy continually grow and serve more customers. “In 2007, I moved to Birmingham and started working with Mills Pharmacy in Bluff Park. At that time, we began opening the 2nd location,” Long explains. Both Jones and Hardin have many years of experience serving families as pharmacists at multiple Mills locations.
The owners place high priority on serving every customer well. “Customers can expect to pick up their medication in a timely manner from friendly people who care about their health outcomes. They can anticipate receiving attention from a pharmacist when they have questions about their condition or their medication,” Hardin says, adding, “And they can also expect our staff to be interested in them as people, not as numbers or dollar signs.”
The Mills Pharmacy mission statement is one that the team strives to live by daily. “We will improve patient wellness and health by problem-solving, listening, and providing the best care possible. We will be accessible, honest, and respectful. We will be visible, active members of the communities in which we serve. We will have a positive impact on every customer we encounter.”
Visit the Mills Pharmacy family at one of 13 locations in Bluff Park, Brookwood, Corner, Eutaw, Gardendale, Leeds, McCalla, Midfield, Parkway, Pinson, Pleasant Grove, and Woodlawn. Any location can help you with SmartPack: personalized packaging for prescriptions, free daily COVID-19 testing and vaccines, compounding, affordable generics, unique gifts, and more. To learn more about Mills Pharmacy and to find the nearest location to you, visit www.millspharmacies.com.
-Melissa Armstrong
