Health & Wellness

Big Y Foods Inc. is buying the assets of two Louis & Clark Drug Stores locations. As of Dec. 19, the stores at 471 Breckwood Boulevard in Springfield, Mass., and at 459 Main Street in Wilbraham, Mass., will operate as Big Y’s Louis & Clark Pharmacies. The independent pharmacy and health care solutions provider will continue to run its four other locations.

“Through our partnership with Big Y, we are able to maintain our local roots,” explained Skip Matthews, president of Louis & Clark, which, like the grocer, is family-owned and –operated, as well as being based in Springfield. “Through our partnership with Big Y, we are able to focus our business efforts on the growing fields of home medical equipment and specialty pharmaceutical services, while Big Y focuses on its strength in retail pharmacy.”

Big Y Pharmacies and Louis & Clark will work together to develop Louis & Clark’s ongoing home medical equipment division by offering referrals and consultations to Big Y shoppers through Louis & Clark’s Medical Supplies and Equipment in Springfield and a satellite Louis & Clark location in Easthampton, Mass.

All current Louis & Clark employees at both locations will be able to interview for employment with Big Y. Hours of operation will remain the same, and services such as bill paying, money orders, postage stamps, lottery and photocopying will continue at the stores.

The Big Y Pharmacies also works closely with the College of Pharmacy at Western New England University, including a collaboration on the Consultation and Wellness Service located within Big Y’s Cooley Street World Class Market in Springfield, across the street from the university.

Big Y has a long history of operating satellite pharmacy locations, including its New Milford, Conn., pharmacy, which continues to operate in the downtown section of that city.

With the addition of the Lewis & Clark locations, the grocer will have 40 pharmacies throughout its chain of stores.

Both locations will close at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17 for inventories, prescription file transfers and new products additions. Current customers’ prescriptions will be automatically transferred.

“This is indeed a great opportunity for our two companies to serve and meet the needs of our customers,” noted Big Y President Charles L. D’Amour,

Louis & Clark was founded in 1965 by Louis Demosthenous and Clark Matthews. Big Y operates 64 stores in Connecticut and Massachusetts, with more than 10,000 employees.