Healthier One: Millington native’s pharmacy keeps the focus on customer service

By Carolyn Bahm

Open just over a month now, the family-owned Kirby Whitten Pharmacy is making a name for itself in Bartlett with a focus on services that people want and need.
Owner, manager and pharmacist Steve Hadley said, “Our philosophy is that we want to try to make this community healthier, for one. We want to provide great service, which I think there is a great need in the chain retail setting that people are not getting. The focus has been lost on the customer. It’s a number now, it seems to me. Having been in the chain retail previously, I’ve seen it firsthand. That’s why I wanted to do something differently.”
He has been practicing in the general Bartlett-Raleigh area for many years. Hadley operates the business with help from Lindsey Campbell, a pharmacy technician, and his family: Wife, Robbie, who grew up in Bartlett’s Easthill neighborhood; sons Ryan and Nathan; and parents, Marshall and Louise Hadley.
The independent pharmacy opened June 22 at 3090 Kirby Whitten Road in a high-traffic area near physicians’ and dental offices. Hadley said construction on the 18,036-square-foot facility began in June 2019.
Kirby Whitten Pharmacy works with most major insurance plans and uses a free mobile app, PocketRx, that customers can download to their smartphones to handle prescription refills, medication dose/refill reminders and a health news reading list.
Other features include a contactless drive-thru, free home delivery within a five-mile radius, simple compounding of custom medications, regular prescription refills and transfers, and a wide range of services. Services and products include a diabetes care center, durable medical equipment (such as walkers and wheelchairs), health screenings (including blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol), immunizations, Medicare Open Enrollment, solutions for patients needing help to properly and consistently take their medicines, medication therapy management (help for patients who are taking multiple medications for different conditions), med synchronization (enabling customers to pick up all their medications on a single day each month), multi-dose packaging, prescriptions for pets, essential vaccinations for world travelers, and over-the-counter medications and other products.
The pharmacy’s “About” page on its website sums up their approach to business.
“Kirby Whitten Pharmacy proudly serves the community of Bartlett. We’ve proudly taken on the role of improving Bartlett’s health care by providing fast and personalized service. We strive to make every experience you have with us a great one. At our pharmacy, your family is our family. Our friendly staff is dedicated to ensuring that you receive expert care on every visit. Stop by today and let Kirby Whitten Pharmacy become part of your family.”