In this day of ubiquitous pharmacy chains, is there room for a locally-owned business specializing in friendly, personalized service?
Dr. Xiaoyan Qin, owner of Union Pharmacy, thinks so. She will be opening a branch of her Union Pharmacy at 43 Leonard St.
Her experience managing a CVS in Newton Center led Qin to believe there was room in the market for a full-service pharmacy, offering private consultations, personalized recommendations, and unique products at affordable prices. She opened Union Pharmacy in Newton in 2019 and opened a location in Newtonville two years later. The third location was added in Needham in 2024.
When she realized many customers were driving in from Belmont to fill prescriptions, the next location was an obvious choice.
“I have many customers who travel all the way from Belmont to Newton Center and most of them are elderly,” she said. “The big chains are using [artificial intelligence] and nobody answers the phone. It is hard for them to make reservations for vaccines. But, we always have a person answer the phone.”
Qin came to the U.S. in 1998 from Shanghai, China to attend Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, where she earned a doctor of pharmacy degree. After graduation, she became dissatisfied with the corporate approach to care.
“I like to counsel my patients,” she said. “But the pharmacists are so busy, they don’t have time to answer the phone, no time to talk to the patient, no time to go to the bathroom. I felt like I was losing touch with my customers because I didn’t have time for them. I said, this is not the life I want, not the way I want to practice my profession, so that’s why I started Union Pharmacy.”
Customers have taken notice of her approach. In fact, Qin was a guest of Rep. Jake Auchincloss at President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address in 2019 because of her work to give people a community-centered care option.
“As an independent pharmacist, Dr. Xiaoyan Qin has made a name for herself with top-notch patient service,” Auchincloss said at the time. “As a small-business owner and pharmacy advocate, she also represents how immigrants enrich our communities.”
As an immigrant, Qin is sensitive to the needs of the Chinese community and is focused on communication and relationship building.
“The language barrier is an issue,” she said. “There is a huge Chinese population, and it is [a problem] for them to communicate efficiently with a pharmacist at a big chain.”
Union Pharmacy offers a full range of vaccines and selected products including vitamins and alternative medications, and provides detailed recommendations for supplements and medications, ensuring customers are well-informed about what they need, Qin said.
“All of the products, medication, vitamins, on our shelves are the best for you. We stock brands we can trust,” she said.
Qin said current plans are to open for business at 43 Leonard St. in April, and she looks forward to providing pharmacy service with the human touch for all of Belmont’s residents.
“As an independent pharmacy, we always ask the question of our customers, what is more important than [your] health and time? You are not a number to us,” she said. “We are here for the residents of Belmont.”
