Contributed EXPANSION CELEBRATED — The Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce and Wintersville officials, including Mayor Mike Petrella, helped Value Leader Pharmacy mark the opening of its new, larger location at Suite B, 201 Luray Drive, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

WINTERSVILLE — The owners and staff of Value Leader Pharmacy on Sept. 6 celebrated the new location that has enabled them to expand services and products for their many customers.

After operating within the nearby Family Medical Care Community Health Center since 2013, the pharmacy nearly tripled its space by moving into Suite B, 201 Luray Drive, within the Wintersville Post Office building.

Co-owner and pharmacist Curt Virtue noted the move has accommodated the addition of a drive-through window for customers’ convenience as well as a larger selection of over-the-counter medications, vitamins, infant care, shower and bath products, and cards and gifts, including Sarris Candy.

He added the expansion includes two consultation rooms, where customers can receive vaccinations or assistance in organizing their prescription medication use. Virtue said flu shots and vaccinations against pneumonia, shingles and the Respirtory Syncytial Virus are available now, while the COVID vaccine will be offered later this month.

He said the consulting rooms offer one way for the pharmacy’s staff to discuss with customers its MedThink and compliance packaging services.

Virtue said MedThink helps customers plan refills for their prescriptions so they may be filled at one time whenever possible. He said compliance packaging involves packaging together the specific doses of medications they are to take at the same time, such as morning or bedtime.

Virtue said while the packaging is very helpful to those with cognitive issues, it’s convenient for everyone. He noted with compliance packaging, customers planning a vacation can take the doses they will need during that time, not all of the pill bottles.

Members of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce and village officials, including Mayor Mike Petrella, conducted a ribbon-cutting for the new location during an open house held by the pharmacy that included music, food and activities for children.

Among the many on hand were Virtue and fellow co-owners of the Tri-State Medical Group, a local supplier of pharmaceutical products and services and durable care equipment of which the pharmacy is a part. They are: J.J. Bernabei, Jesse Milowicki, Jason Backel and Jonathan Paris.

Also pharmacists, Virtue, Paris and J.B. Dobbins all are graduates of the West Virginia University School of Pharmacology with about 60 years of experience in the field between them.

They head a staff of about a dozen full- and part-time employees at the Wintersville location. Its regular hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

The pharmacy offers an emergency on-call service for customers with pressing issues that can be reached outside those hours through its regular phone number, (740) 314-5321.