DBL Investors News
DBL Investors News
Revolutionary retailer offers innovative alternative to conventional chain drugstores
Issued July 25, 2007
Elephant Pharm, which has been shaking up the pharmacy retailing world with its fresh approach to health and wellness, opens its fourth store, in Walnut Creek, on July 30th.
Located at 1388 S. California Blvd. at the corner of Newell Ave., the 12,000 square-foot store will serve the increasing number of people who are dissatisfied with the one-size-fits-all approach of most big box chain drugstores.
“Once people visit Elephant, they come back again and again because we're able to provide an unprecedented level of customer service, an extraordinarily unique product selection and easy access to information to help our customers make the right choices for their health,” said CEO Kathi Lentzsch. “No one else does what we do.”
In fact, Diablo magazine's editors recently picked Elephant Pharm as “Best of the East Bay,” in the New Pharmacy category.
Each Elephant Pharm store has two state-of-the-art pharmacies – one for conventional prescriptions and the other for herbal. Both pharmacies provide custom compounding and place a strong emphasis on providing private customer consultations and an integrative approach to health.
The conventional pharmacy is staffed with registered pharmacists who can advise customers on anything from drug interactions to over-the-counter drugs and supplemental alternative remedies. The herbal pharmacy is staffed with licensed herbalists trained in Western, Chinese, homeopathic, and Ayurvedic traditions and therapies. Both pharmacies work together to help customers seeking an integrative and complementary approach to health, wellness and medicine.
In addition to the usual and conventional products customers expect from a pharmacy, Elephant Pharm offers thousands of alternative choices across many product categories. They include herbal remedies, supplements, natural body care, cosmetics, green cleaning products, natural products for babies and pets, home décor and accessories, books, music and DVDs. The stores also stock organic and natural foods, including ready-to-eat meals and snacks.
Each month, customers are invited to attend dozens of free classes, featuring a wide range of visiting health and wellness practitioners including homeopaths, naturopaths, Ayurvedic medicine specialists, acupuncturists, and practitioners of a wide range of movement techniques including yoga and Pilates. Visit www.ElephantPharm.com to see the extensive schedule of daily programs.
Vitamin specialists, nutritionists, aestheticians, and other trained practitioners are also available for free consultations throughout the week. Consultations are generally available from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends.
Of the four pharmacies in the seven-county Bay Area that have achieved the Green Business designation, three of them are Elephant Pharm stores. The Walnut Creek store is currently seeking that designation as well. “Environmental and social responsibility are part of our core business values,” said Lentzsch.
Developed by Bay Area local governments in collaboration with the U.S. EPA, the California EPA Department. of Toxic Substances, and the business community, the Bay Area Green Business Program assists, recognizes and promotes businesses and government agencies that volunteer to operate in an environmentally responsible way. Elephant Pharm also provides a number of ongoing environmental programs including regular recycling of consumer and company electronic waste, composting classes, and classes on green interior design and environmentally friendly cleaning for the home.