By Taylor J. Hale
Staff Writer

STEVENS POINT – A new pharmacy in downtown Stevens Point is working to fill a service gap and get people off their prescriptions. Hometown Pharmacy, located at 1129 Main St., Stevens Point, celebrated their grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and plaque presentation, hosted by the Portage County Business Council, on July 23.

“The big thing is that we want to get people off of prescriptions,” said Tessa Sain, Hometown co-owner and pharmacist. “We are here when people need their prescriptions, but we want to help them stay healthy and well, so they don’t need some of the services. We like to sell people vitamins and over-the-counter supplements, and teach people how to take care of themselves.”

Sain was the former pharmacy manager at the Shopko on Main Street until it closed down earlier this year. She saw the closure as a chance to provide a much-needed service to the downtown area.

“When Shopko closed, I knew that there was no pharmacy on this side of town and it was needed,” Sain explained. Sain owns the pharmacy with her husband, Aaron, who will be delivering prescriptions to customers for the shop. The downtown pharmacy is the couple’s first venture into owning a business. Hometown is currently  taking former Shopko patients looking for a pharmacy near the downtown area.

The shop accepts Medicare, Medicaid and most major insurance providers. Sain is working with Cigna to secure a contract, though due to stipulations from the organization, Hometown must be open for 30 days before the contract is fi nal. Staff noted that roughly 30-40 people have already transferred their prescriptions to Hometown, but they are ready for more.