Quality Care Pharmacy began well before Vann, Jason, and Tamela Joyce opened the store in 2007.
In the first few decades of the 1900’s Vann and Jason’s grandparents set out for Moore county to discover a better life. Their grandfather’s family traveled by train to the Jackson Springs depot and found a home on the huge Maness peach farm that once encompassed the entire Foxfire area. Their grandmother was born on what is known as Morrow Mountain State Park.
The family ran an inn and ferry service across the Pee Dee River. The River was dammed up to produce electricity and the family moved to Moore County to the fertile farm land of the Sandhills.
Flash forward 50 years. Vann and Jason Joyce were raised in the same area their grandparents once farmed. One of their favorite activities growing up was traveling into town with those grandparents and visiting all the locally owned shops. One of those shops was Aberdeen Pharmacy owned by a young pharmacist Ron Ward.
A decade later Ron Ward and Kester Woody gave these two young boys one of their first jobs outside the farm. Ron and Kester mentored Vann and Jason and pushed them to college.
Vann earned his accounting degree from UNC Wilmington. Jason met his lovely wife and they both earned their Pharm.D degree from Campbell University.
Ron and Kester eventually moved from Southern pines and opened the original Seven Lakes Prescription Shoppe. Kester passed away suddenly and Ron eventually decided to retire, he called Jason to see if he would be interested in taking ownership.
While Ron’s intial idea didn’t’ exactly work out, “It’s something Jason has always wanted to do,” Tamela said. “He made a business plan for the area 10 years earlier while he was still in pharmacy school!”
“We called Ron and said we think the community could easily support two stores,” Tamela said. “We prayed about it and opened the doors.”
Tamela and Jason have been living in Jackson Springs for eighteen years with their four children Justin, Joshua, Joanna, and Jordan. Vann has also started a family with his wife Mary and son Ian. They have built a home locally and added baby Alexis to a growing family. Vann, Jason and Tamela built Quality Care Pharmacy in April 2007 with Ron coming in once a week to help out.
Today, Tamela and Jason run the store together with the help of Jason’s brother, Vann, doing accounting, and their sons, Joshua and Ian, helping after school.
“We just love it here,” Tamela explained. “This is home to Jason. When we first came, everyone came in. We have a lot of faithful customers, and hopefully we’ll be here as long as we can.”
After running the shop for several years, Jason decided a second store would be beneficial. In May of 2011, they opened the doors to the Quality Care Pharmacy in Pinehurst.
With the second store, staff and resources could be more easily utilized. If one store was running low on an item, it could be shared from the other location. Staff would also be able to have more hours between the two shops. Quality Care Pharmacy employs 18 people in the community. It supports many of the local community events that simply go unnoticed by the larger chains. Quality Care Employees give back to the community in so many ways as Scout Leaders, Sunday school teachers, VBS leaders, little league coaches, business guild volunteers, and many more.
“The relationships we have with our customers are my favorite thing,” Tamela said. “The small town connection is so sweet and precious. I want it to be a relaxing environment.”
Quality Care Pharmacy currently has student, Keenan Rae, working with them until November 9th. During her time at the shop, Keenan is learning about over-the-counter services and small-town environments.
“I love the community, the atmosphere of knowing people and calling them by name,” Keenan said. “It’s a small, more intimate setting. I know all the people coming and know what they need.
Keenan is also helping to administer flu shots this season.
“We love having her,” Tamela said.
Quality Care Pharmacy is located at 1103 Seven Lakes Drive in Seven Lakes and at the 65 Parker Lane in Pinehurst. To learn more about Quality Care Pharmacy, please call the Seven Lakes location at (910) 673-DRUG (3784) or the Pinehurst location at (910) 215-DRUG (3784).
Be sure to also visit QualityCarePharmacyNC.com to sign up for refills, flu shots, and free delivery.
