2010 saw the close of the
Genuardi’s in Glen Eagle Square and an end to service from pharmacist Ben
Lopchinsy who Chadds Ford area residents had come to know and trust. But
Lopchinsky is back, opening his own pharmacy in Springwater Plaza on Route 202.

Lopchinsky can rattle off the
names of many of his Chadds Ford customers, as well he should since he began
serving the community in 1992 at the Concordville Pharmacy. In 2001 that shop
moved into the Genuardi’s and stayed there for nine-and-a-half years until
Genuardi’s closed.

Lopchinsky and his partner Phil
Fraley built their clientele by being members of the community.

“What’s good about it is, not
only have I been a long time in this area, almost 20 years, but I’ve been a 30
year resident of the Concord/Chadds Ford area. Being a member of Elam, being
active in [the Brandywine Youth Club,] I was able to create that community
involvement…I’d be out on the softball field coaching and somebody would ask me
about a particular medication,” Lopchinsky said.

He maintained that personal
touch and involvement while working the Genuardi’s pharmacy, making it feel
less corporate for his customers. He said that touch and commitment continue
now with the new store.

“It’s going to be a place where
people can ask a lot of questions without feeling like they’re rushed,”
Lopchinsky said.

Chadds Ford Pharmacy officially
opened Friday, Jan. 7. It’s a small mom and pop style store, but Lopchinsky
said there’s no difference in the pricing of pharmaceuticals.

“You see all the chains around,
so we want to have a different touch that we were able to create in
Concordville…Ninety percent of the people are on third party insurance plans
so, whether they go to Walgreens or CVS or here, they’re paying the same
amount,” he said. “We can buy almost as good as [the large chains] but, for the
consumer, they’re paying the same price.”

Lopchinsky said Chadds Ford
Pharmacy can match prices on cash prescriptions, too.

There’s no price discrepancy in
the prescription business as there might be on other items when comparing chain
stores with mom and pop stores.

“That’s the reason the
independents can exist,” Lopchinsky said.

The store is open seven days
per week, operating 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on
Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.

Lopchinsky said he chose a
sampling of merchandise for the front of the store, vitamins, supplements,
braces and other items, but the customer choices will ultimately let him know
which way the store should grow and what should be stocked.

“We have a very good selection
of over-the-counter medicines, a very good selection of nutrition supplements
and a sampling of medical equipment and braces, snacks and sundry gift items,”
he said. “As they buy, we’ll see what line’s moving so we can expand that,”
said Lopchinsky.