Joplin site becomes Family Pharmacy's 18th store

Family Pharmacy on June 1 purchased Ken Reynolds Pharmacy, 3202 Indiana Ave. in Joplin. The acquisition gives Family Pharmacy a presence in 12 markets: Branson West, Forsyth, Hollister, Joplin, Nixa, Ozark, Republic, Rogersville, Sparta, Springfield, Strafford and Willard. A purchase price was not disclosed.

Family Pharmacy is leasing the 3,000-square-foot location with a drive-through window for an undisclosed amount. President Lynn Morris, who started Family Pharmacy in 1977 with his wife, Janet, purchased Ken Reynolds Pharmacy from Penny Aldrighetti, a registered pharmacist, and her husband, Todd.

“It’s a tremendous location and, we feel like, a tremendous opportunity,” Lynn Morris said.

That opportunity includes expanding the existing retail pharmacy in Joplin. Morris plans to add a closed-shop pharmacy to service nursing homes in the area, bringing the total of nursing homes and health care facilities that Family Pharmacy works with to 93.

Home medical supplies and equipment for one-hour photo processing also will be added to the Joplin location.

Other Family Pharmacy stores offer same-day photo processing, with the processing taking place at its Nixa Photo Center, 262 W. Mt. Vernon. The Photo Center, which also offers photo restoration and digital enhancing, will soon add more services.

“We’ve just added three photographers, so by the end of the month we’ll have photography services,” Morris said. The Photo Center will include a studio for taking portraits, and photographers will photograph weddings, occasions and sports teams.

Morris plans to expand the company again in August, with a Family Pharmacy opening in Summer Fresh Market in Marshfield.

The signs in Joplin now read, “Family Pharmacy, formerly Ken Reynolds Pharmacy.”

“Ken Reynolds was kind of a landmark pharmacy there so we’re going to retain the name,” Morris said.

Reynolds opened the pharmacy in 1943.

“Every time we answer the phone, we’re answering it ‘Ken Reynolds Family Pharmacy.’ We discovered the first day that we tried to answer ‘Family Pharmacy,’ people would hang up. We couldn’t even get a word in. They’re so used to Ken Reynolds,” Morris said with a laugh.

Scott Axon of The Kingsley Group brokered the transaction.