Haas Pharmacy, located in the center of Sloatsburg, looks perfectly positioned. The business has a convenient drive-thru window, ample signage and personalized service for walk-in customers. But owner Larry Haas would like a little more. He wants his pharmacy to be top of mind for village residents whenever they think prescriptions, because that’s the lifeblood of any pharmacy.

Haas Pharmacy just celebrated its seventh year in business in Sloatsburg last week and Larry Haas took his message directly to the people. As the featured speaker for the week’s meeting at the Sloatsburg Senior Center, Haas gathered up his papers – and public speaking courage – and explained to the gathering why going local makes dollars and sense for individuals and the center itself.

Haas detailed the many benefits of using the local pharmacy — it’s close, competitive, and everyone gives that bit of extra effort to customers. Haas gave his general vision of what a community pharmacy offers and said he’s investing in the community –next year Haas Pharmacy will start providing on-site flu shots.

“If our business increased a third,” Haas said, “we could offer free delivery within the community.” And those extra services are important because Haas is trying to fight off the big box chain pharmacies and online mail order houses that deliver right to people’s doorsteps.

“We’d like people to support their community,” he said. “What’s the saying: it takes a village to raise a child. Well, we’re in a village and we should all be supporting each other.”

Haas kicked off his community effort by announcing a special offer for Sloatsburg Senior Center members: every new or transferred prescription by members will earn the Senior Center a $2 donation from Haas Pharmacy. The pharmacy will also donate $1 to the center for all refilled or continuing prescriptions. The center would use the money to help pay for basic meeting expenses, such as coffee and cakes and creamers.

Haas is also working with two popular Sloatsburg restaurants, Characters and Rhodes North Tavern. With a new offer open to everyone, new customers can earn a $15 gift certificate to your choice of one of the restaurants with 4 new or transferred prescriptions.

“We’re just trying to switch things up a little bit and to get information out there so that people will get to know who we are,” Haas said. “We want to work with people in the community. It goes by really fast,” Haas added, reflecting on the last few years of doing business in Sloatsburg.

As another saying goes, use it or lose it. So, next time you’re out there in the community, think about shopping local.

Larry Haas is pictured in the top photo with Senior Center President Veronica Schwartz (middle) and Secretary Jayne Barber (end).