May 30, 2025
Uptown Pharmacy Celebrates 150 Years of Service to Patients
Uptown Pharmacy has been in business in Westerville, OH, since 1875. Celebrating 150 years this June, Brinkman’s Rexall Pharmacy became known as Uptown Pharmacy in 2000, and has seen many changes along the way. While ownership has never extended beyond one generation of family at a time, it has always been family-owned, emphasizing personal care and commitment to the community.
A legacy of family-owned care
In 1985, Max Peoples took ownership of Uptown Pharmacy after graduating from pharmacy school, ushering in a new era of innovation and patient-focused care. Max’s vision was clear: community pharmacies could—and should—offer clinical services. He often asked, “Why can’t a pharmacist do that?” and then made it happen.
Evolving to meet community needs
Over the decades, Uptown Pharmacy has seen its share of changes. In its early years, the pharmacy offered everything from an ice cream parlor to gifts, film, and even roasted nuts. But as the community’s needs shifted, so did the pharmacy’s focus.
Today, Uptown Pharmacy is an apothecary-style pharmacy dedicated to clinical services, with a robust over-the-counter department that retains the charm of the early 1900s.
From being the first pharmacy in Ohio to provide immunizations to installing one of the state’s first electronic pharmacy record systems, Uptown Pharmacy has consistently been ahead of the curve. Every new service or product introduced over the years has been driven with one goal in mind: meeting the needs of their patients.
Building lifelong relationships
At Uptown Pharmacy, patients aren’t just customers—they’re family.
“We don’t have customers; we have patients,” says Jarrett B., Pharmacist-in-Care at Uptown Pharmacy. “A customer is someone you sell something to. A patient is someone who trusts you and turns to you for your experience and knowledge.”
This philosophy has fostered deep, multigenerational relationships. It’s not uncommon to hear patients say, “I’ve been coming here since my grandma brought me in as a child.” These bonds are built through small moments of care—taking extra time to explain a medication, answering a late-night call from a worried parent, or even coming in on a Sunday to fill an emergency prescription.
The team behind the success
The success of Uptown Pharmacy wouldn’t be possible without its dedicated team.
“Our team members are the lifeblood of this organization,” Jarrett shares. “No one person can do it all. Having an amazing staff ensures our patients receive the level of care they need and deserve.”
The trust and collaboration within the team allow the pharmacy to maintain its high standards, even during challenging times.
Looking to the future
As Uptown Pharmacy looks ahead, the focus remains on preventive health and expanding the role of pharmacists. Uptown Pharmacy believes in embracing change, seeing it as an opportunity to improve patient care rather than a challenge to overcome.
“If you’re not changing, you won’t survive,” Jarrett says. “The question isn’t why something is changing, but how we can use that change to better the care we provide.”
For pharmacies looking to achieve a similar milestone, Jarret offers this advice: “If you take care of the patient, they will take care of you.”
It is through their patient relationships that Uptown has thrived. Patients recognize the pharmacy’s value and are willing to spend an extra dollar for a product recommendation or fill a prescription at their pharmacy instead of the preferred network down the street. As Jarret said, “If you invest in taking care of others, the rest almost always takes care of itself.”
