Remedy’s Rx has been going strong for five years in the community of Agassiz and has won several business excellence awards for outstanding service, as well as a People’s Choice Award for exemplary work. The independent pharmacy provides a level of personal attention that is unmatched by its larger counterparts. One of the key components to its success is its family oriented atmosphere and the warmth that provides its customers with “hugs and drugs” according to the staff that proudly work there.
“I would work here forever I absolutely love it,” said Pharmacy Assistant Natalie Bolan of the friendly and inspiring atmosphere.
Other staff members sang praises of their time with the pharmacy including Anne Evans, Kayla Anderson and Mostafa El Hennawy who reported that the family-like atmosphere was a great environment to be part of.
“There really is a sense of community here, people have even brought baking for the pharmacist, I don’t know where else you hear about something like that,” said Evans of the community hub the pharmacy has become. “People will just stop in to say hello.”
While providing outstanding service and professionalism, Remedy’s Rx, also carries high quality products but at lower prices than its contemporaries.
“Agassiz pharmacy started as a dream, a dream of a very professional, friendly and personalized pharmacy practice where all patients are treated with respect and dignity regardless of their health needs,” said Pharmacy Manager and Owner Mohamed Hasanine. “At our practice patients are not numbers, we want our patients to feel confident and comfortable talking to their pharmacist anytime.” For Hasanine, the best thing besides working with a great team is getting to know his patients and making a difference in their lives.
“I can feel how our team genuinely adopts our philosophy of taking care of patients. I remember when one of our team members called 911 for a 90 year old lady who lived by herself while doing a delivery after hours and the lady was suffering a heart attack, our colleagues stayed with her until the paramedics arrived and took over.”
Remedy’s is different from other pharmacies because of its expansive nature in meeting clients needs according to Store Manager and Owner Tareq Youssef.
“We are different because we listen then act, when I look over the past five years and how much expansion we’ve had in so many areas to meet our clients needs either in Home Health First Aid, Ostomy, Compounding, Vet Products and Vitamins it’s astounding,” he said. “I remember a phone call five minutes to closing time last week for a lady looking for a specialized wound dressing and when she heard we had it she told her husband that it was worth the phone call to save a trip to Chilliwack.”
Youssef is proud the pharmacy provides proximity for locals, and that Remedy’s supports local business wherever possible.
Aside from the pharmacy in Agassiz, they have also expanded to Seabird Island, and are also thinking of opening a location in Chilliwack.
“Our team is a family and we’re different in how we are all so close and caring about each other — without the wonderful team we have we wouldn’t be where we are today.”
The pharmacy has worked hard over the years to gain the confidence of both the community and other healthcare providers.
“I can see now we achieved the goal of being a reliable pharmacy provider in town, in five years we have won three local awards and one B.C. award in our field,” said Youssef. “But the most important award that we have received is the love and the trust of the patients we serve. I tell all my team it’s not a privilege we have, it’s a responsibility we carry to make the right decision every single time in favour of our patients.”
Opening the store was not without challenges, but with hard work and determination, Remedy’s has flourished under the care and guidance of its talented and caring owners and staff.
“This is a great pharmacy, the pharmacist is really accessible and easy to talk to, and everyone is really friendly — they’re always willing to help no matter the circumstances and they always have reliable information, if you don’t know something they are always willing to look it up,” said Remedy’s Customer Christina Elless.
