Marcus Howard had no prior pharmaceutical experience when he opened a pharmacy on the ground floor of Delmar Divine.
It has been nearly two years since opened its doors in the West End neighborhood, and it has grown rapidly. GreaterHealth supports 3,000 patients a month 鈥� an impressive feat for an independent pharmacy rivaling big names like CVS and Walgreens.
GreaterHealth also holds the distinction of being the only Black-owned pharmacy in Missouri.
Howard told St. Louis on the Air that he and his staff take pride in being culturally responsive and radically inclusive. Their goal is to change the way pharmacy is being delivered in marginalized communities by building trust and providing quality care.
He said mistrust in health care among people of color "lies in both a historical and current context."
鈥淵ou have historical times in history, such as the Tuskegee experiment, where communities of color were being experimented with,鈥� Howard said.
With recent closures of pharmacies in north St. Louis, Howard looks to open more GreaterHealth locations. But it is difficult to raise awareness 鈥� and funds 鈥� for the independent pharmacy.
鈥淲e are reaching out to investors and different entities to try to raise money. We can buy a building that was left vacant from a Walgreens leaving and continue to serve that community,鈥� he said.
Two of the most popular services GreaterHealth provides are free home delivery and medication counseling.
鈥淥ne of the things that we understand is that in order to make people healthier, that trust gap has to be closed,鈥� Howard said. 鈥淧eople in our community don't take the medicine if they don't trust who's giving it to them. 鈥�
To learn more about the future of GreaterHealth Pharmacy and Wellness, listen to St. Louis on the Air on , , or or click the play button below.
鈥�鈥� brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by , , , and . Jada Jones is our production assistant. The audio engineer is .
