College Connections Lead to ‘Elite’ Pharmacy

CANFIELD, Ohio – On their first day of class at Northeast Ohio Medical University in Rootstown, pharmacy students Jacob Sweet and Louis Liming immediately hit it off.

“As our friendship grew, our idea of running a store together grew,” Liming said.

Four years later, in their final year of schooling, the two joined Daniel Jones, a 2014 pharmacy school graduate who was a friend of Sweet’s brother, in purchasing their own pharmaceutical store.

Elite Pharmacy, previously Pharmacy Care, cut the ribbon to the newly renovated store on Wednesday. The three friends bought the business, 11 E. Main St., from the previous owner at the end of 2021.

Jones, who met the previous owner during one of his rotations while in medical school, says much of the store remains the same as it was although the trio continues to work towards adding new offerings.

“We will be bringing in some new innovative things that I think the community will really benefit from,” Sweet said. “Currently in Ohio, we are working to get a ‘pharmacist provider’ status which means that we can work up to the full stature of our license…that is currently being battled down in Columbus.”

Sweet said this would allow them to do a lot more for their patients.

A variety of other services and products are offered, including general prescriptions, vaccines, in-home vaccines, wellness materials sales, vitamins, minerals and, most famously, drug compounding for both patients and their pets.

“Some of the commercial products that are available can be toxic to animals or sometimes it’s really hard to give an animal a tablet or a capsule,” Jones said. “We can alter their medication and create alternative dosage forms.”

For animals, this could be anything from a cream that can be rubbed into the ears to more palatable pet treats. For humans, compounding can be used to alter the side effects of some medicines taken orally.

“There is a lot that goes into just creating customized forms for our patients,” Jones said.

Jones said his experience with compounding and the impact he has seen it have is one of his favorite experiences working at Elite Pharmacy.

“Seeing some of the unique things we are able to do for patients – especially through compounding – some of the abilities we have had to [help] patients that would not have been able to take a particular medication otherwise if it wasn’t for compounding,” he said. “Hearing some of their stories and seeing some of what we’ve been able to do to impact their health has been definitely the best part.”

Testing for ailments such as flu, for blood pressure and cholesterol levels is also available and local prescription delivery is free for amounts over $10.

“Our timely service and personability, I think, definitely sets us apart [from other pharmacies],” Sweet said.

“We’re just really excited to be here. We have some good ideas in place. Really, we are here for whatever the people of Canfield need.”

The three co-owners underwent special training in Texas for drug compounding. Sweet said he would be attending more training in July.

Although the intention was always to own their own business, Liming said it was their customers they had in mind.

“That’s why we are into pharmacy – to help people,” he said.

Future plans for renovations and new locations are being discussed.

For more information, visit https://elitepharmacy.com/services.html or the store at 11 E. Main St. in Canfield.

Pictured at top left to right are: John Morvay, president of City Council; Linda Files, pharmacy technician; Ashley Peebles, pharmacy technician; Daniel Jones, owner and pharmacist; Jacob Sweet, owner and intern; Louis Liming, owner and intern; Angie Sturgeon, pharmacy technician; Megan Coburn, pharmacy technician; and Wade Calhoun, Canfield city manager, cutting the ribbon.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.