Oct 18

Oct 18 Pink Hill Pharmacy owner set to retire after three-plus decades of service to community

Pink Hill Pharmacy and Realo Drug of Pink Hill have both long been staples in the community, providing exemplary customer service to the residents of southern Lenoir County and the surrounding areas.

Al Rachide has served the community at Pink Hill Pharmacy for 33 years, and he and his wife Susan Myers have supported the Pink Hill area through sponsorships and philanthropy. In recent years, the pharmacy has expanded into a gift shop and clothing boutique specializing in T-shirt brands like Simply Southern, Old Guys Rule and Southern Fried Cotton.

Since July 1998, Mike Wiggins, Lenoir County native and owner of Realo Discount Drug of Pink Hill, has served the community at his store just around the corner, carrying on the tradition of local service and excellence started by the Brewer and Watson families, which began in the same location in the 1950s. In 1997, Rob Bizzell bought the store and offered Mike the chance to serve the community.

After 33 years of service, Rachide and Myers feel it is time to move forward and focus more time and energy on Pink Hill Gifts as well as their newest venture, Eastern Carolina Broadband. While Pink Hill Gifts will remain in the pharmacy’s current storefront, Wiggins and the staff at Realo will continue the PHP tradition as well as their own long-standing tradition of caring for the community and quality customer service at 107 W. Broadway Street in Pink Hill!

All prescription records are being sold to Realo Drug of Pink Hill, so no one will need to transfer their current prescriptions. Customers can either stop in Realo or call 252-568-3161 to have their prescriptions filled.

Lenoir County Commissioner J. Mac Daughety said he was sorry to see his friends depart the pharmacy business.

“(However, I am) very excited that they are continuing to fulfill a great community need with East Carolina Broadband,” he said. “I’m also excited that Pink Hill will continue to have a thriving pharmacy in Realo to serve the people. It’s great that the folks in Pink Hill can continue to get their vital medicines filled without a 15- to 30-minute drive.”