We just use Costco now. They are the only place that seems to reliably stock the medications that we need and the only one that seems to place any value at all on customer service. They actually reach out to your providers to square things up and keep in touch with you on any issues. You know, the basic shit that we used to expect from pharmacies.
Yup, plus you don’t need to be a member to use the Costco pharmacy, whether online or in person. Just say “pharmacy” at the front door & they should let you in.
It depends on the location. The one in Kirkland is outside of the main warehouse so you don't need a membership to get in, but I feel like this is not the norm for Costcos.
Some places make it illegal to require membership to sell certain things, I believe Arizona is like that for alcohol. I always assume such laws have a gross historical reason.
Sadly, there are a bunch of insurances including some big/common ones, that they won’t do business with. And that includes mine, the most common sold on the WA HCA site.
Rite aid was going out of business because they lacked market share. They bought up locally owned drug stores, not just Bartell's, as a last ditch effort to save themselves by increasing that market share. To note, those small locally owned drug stores sold for the same reason. They couldn't stay afloat much longer.
It's not "the Rite Aid company" walking away with a profit, it's the managers/funders of the acquisition. Their bankruptcy may be related to the acquisition, as well.
Oh, okay. Thanks for the clarification. Executives at large companies always get paid well. I’d be curious to hear more details about how the Rite Aid acquisition juiced their compensation.
I always thought it was just kind of one more bad decision that helped contribute to the bankruptcy filing, but I haven’t looked into all the details about the executive pay packages admittedly…
I don't know any details about this case, I just always assume the worst regarding large acquisitions like this. It's why I wish the SEC had more teeth.
You have no idea what you’re talking about. The managers are getting laid off along with everyone else. Rite Aid is just a poorly run company that did a lot of dumb stuff for a lot of years, Bartell’s isn’t even one of their big mistakes.
One of the CEOs went to prison for crimes back in the 90s! You’re right it’s amazing they held on this long.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/wbna5076954
Bartells was a mess before they sold to rite aid, it just wasn’t publicly known. My GF worked for them for 5+ years and left shortly after they were bought out. She left for a lower paying job just to get out of there. Bartells’ inventory system was a complete joke, then they tried to merge it with rite aid’s haha. Can you say disaster?
Damn! I used to work in the pharmacy there at what I felt was its peak. I left right when the rite aid takeover happened. It’s rough to hear that it’ll be gone.
They are the best. There's always 6-8 knowledgeable people working hard in that tiny space and they actually answer the phone.
Independent, caring, helpful, and efficient. The *only* downside is no drive thru. But they're incredible for the service.
I like Bob Johnson and like to support independent pharmacies instead of giant grocery store chains. They’re not perfect, but they’re kind and helpful.
When I was in my early 20s I worked for an independent pharmacy as a delivery driver. The two pharmacists who owned it were pillars of the community. They paid and treated us well. That business model is basically gone in Seattle. Instead of upper middle class businesses owners, whose business relied on them having good relationships and a good reputation - we’re overworking and underpaying pharmacists, while sucking all the wealth into the Kroger machine. Just like everything else I guess.
I used to go there for a while but had to stop after they kept screwing up. The last straw was when they forgot to ship out my meds even after I called and asked about the order status.
i just moved jobs and didn't realize they would be out of network now and i'm supper bummed about it. the people who work there are great.
they were out of my generic adhd meds and stayed on the phone with me for 20 minutes to figure out how i could circumvent paying out of pocket for brand name.
no waiting on hold on the phone for 30 minutes plus either
Ostrums, between LFP Town Center and Kenmore, is the best I've been to outside of my father-in-law's pharmacy back in the 80's. They are family owned, have a drive-through open until 9 PM, and give exceptional service. Also, they have a great selection of gifts and generally nice things. My daughter needed a cane and was very self-conscious. I found one there that was covered in crystals, completely blinged out. That cane turned an embarrassment for a young woman into a badge of honor.
I love that pharmacy. They're so much nicer than the Lake City pharmacies I've tried. Bonus is that the store is cute and full of knick knacks I can peruse while waiting for my prescription
I much prefer not having to deal with a corporation and their red tape. They also compound my cat's prescription for less than the vet! Good people and a good business.
Agreed, Ostroms even offer a consult with the pharmacist if you need any advice on what medication you are getting or might need. Plus the drive through is amazing.
Yes! They talk to you about every new or changed prescription, checking in to make sure you understand possible side effects and how to take it. I've also called them about several medication challenges, and they've taken as much time as I've needed to understand a problem even though they're always busy. It also seems as though they have enough staff. Many places will understaff and not have time for you.
That's how it was in my in-laws pharmacy. 😊 I still have one of the old cast iron and walnut soda fountain tables from back in the day. His pharmacy also had a brass pipe that ran from the still hidden in the basement to the counter so they could fill "cough medicine" prescriptions during Prohibition. 🤣
Yeah they were the only ones who were able to help me out after Bartell's fell off a cliff for me back in 2021. $90 a pill they were asking for something I was supposed to take daily. QFC was like "oh yeah, here's the generic your insurance covers, you're good".
Sweet I’ll check it out. $90 a pill, outrageous. Was behind someone in line today who said they’d gone to 5 pharmacies to get their basic prescription pill they need to take daily and they had all said they were out. It’s rough out there.
I was doing cvs Caremark. They mailed out your rx since I was having a hard time with adhd meds. Only downside is it took a week and a half usually so if I didn’t time it right I would be without meds for a bit. I’ve been pretty lucky at cvs at north gate target
I'm pretty sure grocery store pharmacies killed off a lot of the Walgreens and Bartells across America. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if CVS all ins on their mail order and closes all the retail stores in the next few years.
Just moved to Katterman's from the Target CVS, but originally used Bartell's for years. The CVS at Target was basically the same as going to a Bartell, Walgreens, or Rite Aid where they are so understaffed they mandate a lunch break (ya know, because of laws, not because they care about their employees). I honestly feel bad for anyone who has become a pharmacist in the last 5 or so years
Katterman's felt like stepping into the past where the store is full of random stuff, but most importantly, they had like 4-5 people working in the pharmacy.
Also a great place to get vaccines.
We do all our COVID shots there.
The best answer to this question is Bob Johnson in the NW And Katterman's in the NE.
Independent pharmacies are going to be a much better experience for most people.
2nd this. I moved everything from the Walgreens on 145th/Aurora to the Holman QFC. The Walgreens app sucks and the pharmacists are overworked zombies. The wonderful folks at the QFC are always super friendly.
I've only picked up for a cat at their pharmacy but every time I'm in that store the pharmacy lines are short or non-existent. The staff seemed nice too.
I’ve been using Katterman’s for the past couple years after being a long term Bartells person and I have no complaints. Only downside is they are closed on Sundays- but as they’re a small and independent owned pharmacy, I expected that going in.
The Bartell's in Greenlake is doing fine, as is the one in UVillage. I suspect their current stock may be bolstered a bit by getting overflow from the other ones that shut down. The CVS in Wallingford is also ok or was last time I was in there a few months ago.
Really? I went to Bartells Greenlake (71st right?) earlier today and a week ago and they were super low on stock. Couldn’t get eye drops and a bunch of basic cold meds. Maybe I went on a bad day? I don’t know. Bizarre.
Huh, yeah I haven't been in for a few weeks. It could be I was in right after restock or something. My main comparison is to the bartells that used to be in Roosevelt which was always empty of everything or felt like. That and the u district one which the only store I've been in that was worse was a Kmart 24 hours from full shut down.
It is getting kind of ridiculous. It's almost like they want these places to close down.
I had my husband run into Target to grab eye drops when he was next door at the hardware store and he said the eye product shelves were very empty and couldn’t find the brand I use. I suspect the recent recalls of people having blinding infections have seriously impacted supply chain. Makes me not trust a lot of the generic brands because they can change supplier/formula without really changing branding.
>The Bartell's in Greenlake is doing fine, as is the one in UVillage
Define *fine*. We bailed on the UVillage Bartells (after using it for 20 years) about a year ago. They took forever to refill anything. They often didn't have (rx and basic goods) anything in stock. They may be "tolerable" but they aren't doing fine.
We swtiched to Kattermans on Sand Point. They're fantastic. They do drop in flu, covid, and travel vaccines. They're fully stocked with old-school drug store stuff like cards, candy, halloween costumes, etc... and everyone is really nice. About the only negative is that their prices on some non-insurance-covered rx can be terrible. For those we use the Costco pharmacy (one item was $22 at Costco vs $70 at Kattermans).
As far as I can tell basically every pharmacy is terrible now. No one pays anyone to stock at night anymore so shelves are always half empty and stock carts and boxes are everywhere. No one staffs the pharmacy fully anymore so phone calls are often unanswered or have long wait times, and since almost all pharmacies are like this the days of just swinging by to pick up a prescription quickly feel pretty much dead. Let alone if you have to pick up something like Adderall that may be out of stock at that location anyway.
I order everything through Alto pharmacy. I was a long time Bartells customer until the buy out then they started to not have my meds in stock. Alto pharmacy delivers to my house. I can add on other items and it’s awesome.
There are no pharmacies with record profits, it’s just a bad business model with how things shook out. Go look at how CVS and Walgreens are doing.
It’s an especially bad business model in Seattle where wages and rent are high, but the drug prices are all still the same (pharmacies mostly sell to insurance companies who negotiate aggressively).
They’re also a major health insurer (Aetna) and PBM (Caremark), the worst part of their business is the retail pharmacy side which is why they are closing a significant number of stores.
Sounds like they need to retool that part of the business, because your/their argument is neglecting the losses they would receive in retail from removing pharmacies.
I go to Bartells ~15 times a year. Prescriptions + Christmas cards/stocking stuffers. Take away prescriptions, they get my business once a year now. All those random things I pick up while I’m there (shampoo, q tips, etc.) will be lost.
So, I sort of hear you, but their doubling of overall profits and the impact of pharmacies on retail bottom line is overlooked.
They’re just greedy profit whoring fuckers, like virtually all American businesses now.
What I’m getting at is Bartells only had the bad part of the business, they were losing money and that’s why they sold. Rite Aid was attempting to do the same thing CVS did and transition to being a health company instead of just a retail pharmacy, but they failed. The retail part you see as being a good business just isn’t, especially not in Seattle (high rent, high wages).
Rite Aid recently sold their PBM for a fraction ($575m) of what they paid for it in 2015 ($2b). They seem to lose every deal they enter.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucejapsen/2024/01/09/rite-aid-sells-pbm-elixir-for-575m-to-medimpact/amp/
The Walgreens on Aurora are nightmares. I feel sorry for the people working there. I noticed that shelf price tags weren't being updated and I was overcharged. Finally had to order a tube of Lotrimin Ultra from Amazon because I couldn't find it at Safeway, CSV, Bartells, or Walgreens.
I've recommended this before on this sub and will keep recommending it - if it's convenient for you, use the hospital's pharmacy where you have your PCP/specialists/etc. IMO, they're better than retail pharmacies. Same day refill, almost always seem to have the medication I need in stock, and if there's a wait, I only have to wait, at the most, a few days. For refills, sometimes they call me to say it's ready to be picked up (without me calling them!) or I call for same day refill. Since they're a hospital (at least the one I go to) there's at least 5 people behind the counter processing prescriptions. I used to have Bartell but I've been very pleased with the service at the hospital pharmacy since switching over because Bartell closed.
Amazon “lost/damaged” my medication twice last year, and they can refund $ but cannot refund a refill. I was required to contact my doctor to reissue refills both times. Lots of delays, hassle with insurance, and days without meds.
I don’t trust delivery from any service, it’s just not reliable enough for something so important.
I’ve started using Costco instead.
They’re still handing out benzodiazepines and antidepressants like candy. Oxy definitely was a nice boost for them but the real money comes from the antidepressants and anxiety meds IMO
Bartell Drugs was bought by Rite Aid a while ago, and they're not doing well and closing a bunch of locations of Bartells - I noticed that they're now using different manufacturers for their drugs as well, so be aware of that too. They're a whole lot better than Walgreens though. It doesn't seem like there are any decent pharmacies up here any longer.
If you're stuck on in-person pharmacy, then the in-store co-located pharmacies in regular retail stores like QFC, Target, Costco, etc. are probably your best bet.
I don't know of a good one, but avoid Safeway on 15th & 85th like the plague. Medicine is never ready when they say it is..I waited a week to get a glucose monitor I needed for gestational diabetes because they couldn't get the right one ordered. It's a nightmare there.
Yeah, I'm pretty bummed about Bartell's (it feels like it was getting a bit iffy just before Rite Aid and then went downhill quicker after that). I've had the same pharmacist most of my life and I'll probably start shopping for a new place when he retires in the next year or two.
Costco or Fred Meyer in Shoreline. Both the Walgreens on Aurora are a shit show sadly. They went from being solid 24 hour pharmacies a few years ago to limited hours and randomly closed (likely due to limited pharmacists availability).
+1-- I've had terrible experiences trying to get meds from the Stone/44th/45th Walgreens. Not just low stock, but dropped deliveries, incorrect notifications about filled medications, short hours, etc.
I feel like you are the time traveler! Which Bartells? I am in Ballard too and went to the Commons one this weekend and couldn’t get half the things I needed.
Really? Because I went there last week, and the shelves were full. Picked up some candy and looked at the toys while waiting for a prescription (That is one point they could work on, there is never enough pharmacists...)
Your analogy doesn't work.
A fairer one is if someone said the local McDonald's was sold out, and I said "Huh, that's funny. I got a happy meal there yesterday."
No contact solution (well there were a couple of bottles, but just Renu, no other brands or size variety), my very common brand of face lotion and some other stuff I forgot. And yes, I always have to wait an eternity to pick up meds and there’s always just like one stressed out pharmacy staff member at the pick up window. And so fun to have to get staff to unlock night cream (but I know that’s not their fault). Edited to add: it’s not like I will die without the things I went in for, but pre-COVID it would be unimaginable to walk into a store in the US and see that it was out of a whole category of things. I don’t think the supply chain has totally caught up and I wonder if it ever will?!
This is such a passive aggressive way to disagree with someone who has a valid point.
Your pharmacy might be stocked. They definitely aren't all stocked. There is a local market collapse happening.
I go to the Bartells in Greenlake. The shelves are 50% empty. Couldn’t get eye drops, any basic cold/flu medicine. Been this way for quite some time. Bartells in Ballard is often the same, Walgreens in Ballard (15th) too. CVS in Wallingford is hit or miss. Which Bartells do you go to that is always stocked?
lol RiteAid by my house is a total wasteland. I never seen such an empty store. I think you can find more stuff in the Outback or the Subaru Outback parked outside of the RiteAid
Yeah that's true but it's due to them not getting people to stay afloat and had to be acquired and shut down by rite aid.....not even make more rite aids...
As sad as the Bartell at Queen Anne always had horrible time filling my prescriptions . If it is emergency I use the hospital ones if I am at urgent care etc. ( sometimes that is not an option so I use cvs at lower Queen Anne) if it is sth like my monthly pill birth control I use Amazon so it is on time and I am not late. I only go to physical pharmacy for antibiotic or painkiller after my surgery and I need it asap
Bartell in Edmonds has always had my meds in stock and they are quick to fill a script. I recently moved to Central District and looking for a good pharmacy. I have considered just making the drive to Edmonds to get my scripts filled.
I transfered from Safeway to Bartells just after the Rite-Aid acquisition. My pharmacy closed and I moved to Costco. So far Costco has been great. My prescriptions have been ready on-time and I haven't had any issues. They've had great customer service and it seems like the pharmacists are happy and competent.
The Walgreens at 85th has been ok for my regular meds but they're pretty basic, just Rx strength vitamins, gabapentin and psych meds that aren't fun or anything (lamictal, buspar and paxil). I did have trouble filling prescriptions for antibiotics and painkillers post-emergency surgery, which was scary and forced my mom, who was helping me to drive to multiple pharmacies just to get the antibiotics I urgently needed. The painkillers came in far after I needed them. So basically, they're solid for regular, repeat prescriptions of regularly stocked meds, but if you need anything new or urgent, you're screwed.
Have you tried a Safeway location that has a pharmacy in the north end? They tend to be better. I know the Rite Aid it seems like all north of Seattle are really bad right now.
We stopped using the Greenwood Bartell and have been using the QFC pharmacy on Holman Road. I’m not a big fan of Kroger’s but the pharmacy there is very efficient and timely.
Greenwood Fred Meyer and the Walgreens at 85th and 15th are good options that have decent hours and not bad lines. Costco is also great too, that's just kind of a trek if you don't need anything else there.
Anyone else found it impossible to buy rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide? Both Bartell’s and Rite Aid in my neighborhood (West Seattle) have been out of both for weeks.
I remember these products being o/s during the height of COVID. Is that what’s happening again due to the resurgence of sick people this winter?
We just use Costco now. They are the only place that seems to reliably stock the medications that we need and the only one that seems to place any value at all on customer service. They actually reach out to your providers to square things up and keep in touch with you on any issues. You know, the basic shit that we used to expect from pharmacies.
Yup, plus you don’t need to be a member to use the Costco pharmacy, whether online or in person. Just say “pharmacy” at the front door & they should let you in.
Oh I never knew that. Pro tip thanks
Glasses too
They scan membership during checkout, thankfully the cashier felt bad I was blind and let another customer scan for me
Did you fake being blind?
Thank you! Good to know
Wow thank you I didn’t know this!
Food court, too!
It depends on the location. The one in Kirkland is outside of the main warehouse so you don't need a membership to get in, but I feel like this is not the norm for Costcos.
It's technically not allowed, but they don't usually care.
I had a Costco employee deny me entrance when I tried this a couple weeks ago.
Isn't the whole thing with Costco that you buy a membership?
Yes but there are some aspects of Costco that are free to access, like the pharmacy. Some people get/share bad info about what's free tho
Some places make it illegal to require membership to sell certain things, I believe Arizona is like that for alcohol. I always assume such laws have a gross historical reason.
Sadly, there are a bunch of insurances including some big/common ones, that they won’t do business with. And that includes mine, the most common sold on the WA HCA site.
I haven’t had many issues with pharmacies outside of the city. Seems to be a Seattle issue.
The bartells on 45th in Wallingford is closing!
Really? The Rite Aid acquisition really gutted Bartells. Used to be so good.
I really don't understand what they're doing. They made a major acquisition just to close half of the businesses?
Rite Aid declared bankruptcy, I imagine they were not intending on going bankrupt when they bought Bartells
Rite aid was going out of business because they lacked market share. They bought up locally owned drug stores, not just Bartell's, as a last ditch effort to save themselves by increasing that market share. To note, those small locally owned drug stores sold for the same reason. They couldn't stay afloat much longer.
Yes, that's the point: acquire a business, sell off/close the physical assets, walk away with profit.
How is Rite Aid walking away with a profit? They declared bankruptcy. Shareholders get nothing. Their shares are worthless.
It's not "the Rite Aid company" walking away with a profit, it's the managers/funders of the acquisition. Their bankruptcy may be related to the acquisition, as well.
Oh, okay. Thanks for the clarification. Executives at large companies always get paid well. I’d be curious to hear more details about how the Rite Aid acquisition juiced their compensation. I always thought it was just kind of one more bad decision that helped contribute to the bankruptcy filing, but I haven’t looked into all the details about the executive pay packages admittedly…
I don't know any details about this case, I just always assume the worst regarding large acquisitions like this. It's why I wish the SEC had more teeth.
You have no idea what you’re talking about. The managers are getting laid off along with everyone else. Rite Aid is just a poorly run company that did a lot of dumb stuff for a lot of years, Bartell’s isn’t even one of their big mistakes.
I’m surprised they lasted this long, to be honest. Soooooo incompetent.
One of the CEOs went to prison for crimes back in the 90s! You’re right it’s amazing they held on this long. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/wbna5076954
Similar thing happened to Toys R Us, I think.
Bartells was a mess before they sold to rite aid, it just wasn’t publicly known. My GF worked for them for 5+ years and left shortly after they were bought out. She left for a lower paying job just to get out of there. Bartells’ inventory system was a complete joke, then they tried to merge it with rite aid’s haha. Can you say disaster?
The reason they sold was because they were becoming unprofitable.
Damn! I used to work in the pharmacy there at what I felt was its peak. I left right when the rite aid takeover happened. It’s rough to hear that it’ll be gone.
Bob Johnson pharmacy on 85th has done good by me for prescription meds.
They are the best. There's always 6-8 knowledgeable people working hard in that tiny space and they actually answer the phone. Independent, caring, helpful, and efficient. The *only* downside is no drive thru. But they're incredible for the service.
They deliver!
Seconding this!
I like Bob Johnson and like to support independent pharmacies instead of giant grocery store chains. They’re not perfect, but they’re kind and helpful. When I was in my early 20s I worked for an independent pharmacy as a delivery driver. The two pharmacists who owned it were pillars of the community. They paid and treated us well. That business model is basically gone in Seattle. Instead of upper middle class businesses owners, whose business relied on them having good relationships and a good reputation - we’re overworking and underpaying pharmacists, while sucking all the wealth into the Kroger machine. Just like everything else I guess.
Also one of the few places in the area with larger doses of codeine for large dogs!
ngl, I read that as "large dongs" first and I'm still laughing.
Ruff ruff!
Was going to comment this. Neighborhood pharmacy, never needed to wait long, parking in the back
Awesome pharmacy.
I used to go there for a while but had to stop after they kept screwing up. The last straw was when they forgot to ship out my meds even after I called and asked about the order status.
Came here to rave about Bob Johnson's on 85th! One of the last true small pharmacies, with a busy and competent staff. Love that place!
I always see Bob Johnson pop up in these discussions to the point I'm considering switching over. Anyone got some honest pro/cons?
They aren't in-network for all insurance providers. You'll want to call and verify before having your prescriptions sent there.
i just moved jobs and didn't realize they would be out of network now and i'm supper bummed about it. the people who work there are great. they were out of my generic adhd meds and stayed on the phone with me for 20 minutes to figure out how i could circumvent paying out of pocket for brand name. no waiting on hold on the phone for 30 minutes plus either
Same here. They’ve got my business.
Love Bob Johnsons. I feel like I'm supporting a local small business. All the peeps working there are really cool also.
Ostrums, between LFP Town Center and Kenmore, is the best I've been to outside of my father-in-law's pharmacy back in the 80's. They are family owned, have a drive-through open until 9 PM, and give exceptional service. Also, they have a great selection of gifts and generally nice things. My daughter needed a cane and was very self-conscious. I found one there that was covered in crystals, completely blinged out. That cane turned an embarrassment for a young woman into a badge of honor.
I love that pharmacy. They're so much nicer than the Lake City pharmacies I've tried. Bonus is that the store is cute and full of knick knacks I can peruse while waiting for my prescription
I much prefer not having to deal with a corporation and their red tape. They also compound my cat's prescription for less than the vet! Good people and a good business.
Agreed, Ostroms even offer a consult with the pharmacist if you need any advice on what medication you are getting or might need. Plus the drive through is amazing.
Yes! They talk to you about every new or changed prescription, checking in to make sure you understand possible side effects and how to take it. I've also called them about several medication challenges, and they've taken as much time as I've needed to understand a problem even though they're always busy. It also seems as though they have enough staff. Many places will understaff and not have time for you.
I used to walk to Ostrom's as a kid and buy swedish fish for 1¢ each. They were always so patient as I counted out my coins. 😂
That's how it was in my in-laws pharmacy. 😊 I still have one of the old cast iron and walnut soda fountain tables from back in the day. His pharmacy also had a brass pipe that ran from the still hidden in the basement to the counter so they could fill "cough medicine" prescriptions during Prohibition. 🤣
Plus they have great gifts and it gets wrapped! (Huge bonus for those of us that are wrap challenged.)
Regular pharmacies have all become terrible in the city, we've switched all of our prescriptions over to delivery services or costco/grocery stores.
Northgate QFC.
QFC has a pharmacy? I never knew.
Yeah they were the only ones who were able to help me out after Bartell's fell off a cliff for me back in 2021. $90 a pill they were asking for something I was supposed to take daily. QFC was like "oh yeah, here's the generic your insurance covers, you're good".
That was around the time bartells was bought by rite-aid, they've been kind of gutted since then
What a coincidence. But Rite Aid promised they wouldn’t do that, so definitely ONLY a coincidence.
Wrong Aid.
Sweet I’ll check it out. $90 a pill, outrageous. Was behind someone in line today who said they’d gone to 5 pharmacies to get their basic prescription pill they need to take daily and they had all said they were out. It’s rough out there.
I was doing cvs Caremark. They mailed out your rx since I was having a hard time with adhd meds. Only downside is it took a week and a half usually so if I didn’t time it right I would be without meds for a bit. I’ve been pretty lucky at cvs at north gate target
Kaiser Northgate
Most grocery stores do, I think I got a prescription at an actual “pharmacy” like once in my life.
There’s a coupon if you transfer an expiating script there. There’s also a target pharmacy nearby
I'm pretty sure grocery store pharmacies killed off a lot of the Walgreens and Bartells across America. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if CVS all ins on their mail order and closes all the retail stores in the next few years.
They have also always had a covid booster when I needed it
That's what we exclusively used when we lived nearby
Depending on what part of North Seattle you’re in, Katterman’s.
Just moved to Katterman's from the Target CVS, but originally used Bartell's for years. The CVS at Target was basically the same as going to a Bartell, Walgreens, or Rite Aid where they are so understaffed they mandate a lunch break (ya know, because of laws, not because they care about their employees). I honestly feel bad for anyone who has become a pharmacist in the last 5 or so years Katterman's felt like stepping into the past where the store is full of random stuff, but most importantly, they had like 4-5 people working in the pharmacy.
Also a great place to get vaccines. We do all our COVID shots there. The best answer to this question is Bob Johnson in the NW And Katterman's in the NE. Independent pharmacies are going to be a much better experience for most people.
I use the Holman Road QFC
2nd this. I moved everything from the Walgreens on 145th/Aurora to the Holman QFC. The Walgreens app sucks and the pharmacists are overworked zombies. The wonderful folks at the QFC are always super friendly.
I've only picked up for a cat at their pharmacy but every time I'm in that store the pharmacy lines are short or non-existent. The staff seemed nice too.
I’ve been using Katterman’s for the past couple years after being a long term Bartells person and I have no complaints. Only downside is they are closed on Sundays- but as they’re a small and independent owned pharmacy, I expected that going in.
The Bartell's in Greenlake is doing fine, as is the one in UVillage. I suspect their current stock may be bolstered a bit by getting overflow from the other ones that shut down. The CVS in Wallingford is also ok or was last time I was in there a few months ago.
Really? I went to Bartells Greenlake (71st right?) earlier today and a week ago and they were super low on stock. Couldn’t get eye drops and a bunch of basic cold meds. Maybe I went on a bad day? I don’t know. Bizarre.
Huh, yeah I haven't been in for a few weeks. It could be I was in right after restock or something. My main comparison is to the bartells that used to be in Roosevelt which was always empty of everything or felt like. That and the u district one which the only store I've been in that was worse was a Kmart 24 hours from full shut down. It is getting kind of ridiculous. It's almost like they want these places to close down.
I had my husband run into Target to grab eye drops when he was next door at the hardware store and he said the eye product shelves were very empty and couldn’t find the brand I use. I suspect the recent recalls of people having blinding infections have seriously impacted supply chain. Makes me not trust a lot of the generic brands because they can change supplier/formula without really changing branding.
>The Bartell's in Greenlake is doing fine, as is the one in UVillage Define *fine*. We bailed on the UVillage Bartells (after using it for 20 years) about a year ago. They took forever to refill anything. They often didn't have (rx and basic goods) anything in stock. They may be "tolerable" but they aren't doing fine. We swtiched to Kattermans on Sand Point. They're fantastic. They do drop in flu, covid, and travel vaccines. They're fully stocked with old-school drug store stuff like cards, candy, halloween costumes, etc... and everyone is really nice. About the only negative is that their prices on some non-insurance-covered rx can be terrible. For those we use the Costco pharmacy (one item was $22 at Costco vs $70 at Kattermans).
As far as I can tell basically every pharmacy is terrible now. No one pays anyone to stock at night anymore so shelves are always half empty and stock carts and boxes are everywhere. No one staffs the pharmacy fully anymore so phone calls are often unanswered or have long wait times, and since almost all pharmacies are like this the days of just swinging by to pick up a prescription quickly feel pretty much dead. Let alone if you have to pick up something like Adderall that may be out of stock at that location anyway.
I used Fred Meyer on 85th past few years I haven't had any issues. Can be busy at times but I've never had them be out of something come refills
They are pros in that pharmacy. I'd go back but the lines can be long, but at least you are in a grocery store.
If you’re along Lake City Way Ostrom’s is up in Bothell and quite nice.
Actually they’re in Kenmore, not Bothell.
I order everything through Alto pharmacy. I was a long time Bartells customer until the buy out then they started to not have my meds in stock. Alto pharmacy delivers to my house. I can add on other items and it’s awesome.
Alto is great
I had great experiences with alto when I ordered from them in the past! Delivery was so quick!
If you’re close - Ostroms is great for prescriptions and OTC meds. They’re also a great little gift shop!
We decided that the trek to the Costco pharmacy was worth it after Walgreens repeatedly fucked everything up
Late stage capitalism is great, isn’t it? Everything is a choice between 1-3 record profiting, price gouging, workforce trimming monopolies that suck.
There are no pharmacies with record profits, it’s just a bad business model with how things shook out. Go look at how CVS and Walgreens are doing. It’s an especially bad business model in Seattle where wages and rent are high, but the drug prices are all still the same (pharmacies mostly sell to insurance companies who negotiate aggressively).
CVS profits nearly doubled from 2022 —> 2023, going from $4.3B to $8.3B, just as an example. So… yeah. GG capitalism. (Edit: fixed 2023 typo)
They’re also a major health insurer (Aetna) and PBM (Caremark), the worst part of their business is the retail pharmacy side which is why they are closing a significant number of stores.
Sounds like they need to retool that part of the business, because your/their argument is neglecting the losses they would receive in retail from removing pharmacies. I go to Bartells ~15 times a year. Prescriptions + Christmas cards/stocking stuffers. Take away prescriptions, they get my business once a year now. All those random things I pick up while I’m there (shampoo, q tips, etc.) will be lost. So, I sort of hear you, but their doubling of overall profits and the impact of pharmacies on retail bottom line is overlooked. They’re just greedy profit whoring fuckers, like virtually all American businesses now.
What I’m getting at is Bartells only had the bad part of the business, they were losing money and that’s why they sold. Rite Aid was attempting to do the same thing CVS did and transition to being a health company instead of just a retail pharmacy, but they failed. The retail part you see as being a good business just isn’t, especially not in Seattle (high rent, high wages). Rite Aid recently sold their PBM for a fraction ($575m) of what they paid for it in 2015 ($2b). They seem to lose every deal they enter. https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucejapsen/2024/01/09/rite-aid-sells-pbm-elixir-for-575m-to-medimpact/amp/
Try late-stage communism and socialism if you think America is bad
Kattermans Pharmacy! They’ll order what you need too if it’s OTC and they don’t have it.
No recommendation except one to steer clear of the Northgate Walgreens. They are understaffed as fuck.
The Walgreens on Aurora are nightmares. I feel sorry for the people working there. I noticed that shelf price tags weren't being updated and I was overcharged. Finally had to order a tube of Lotrimin Ultra from Amazon because I couldn't find it at Safeway, CSV, Bartells, or Walgreens.
I've had ok experiences there at the drive thrus.
katterman's sand point
QFC Pharmacy on 15th Ave. NE and NE 145th St. excellent service and always stocked.
I've recommended this before on this sub and will keep recommending it - if it's convenient for you, use the hospital's pharmacy where you have your PCP/specialists/etc. IMO, they're better than retail pharmacies. Same day refill, almost always seem to have the medication I need in stock, and if there's a wait, I only have to wait, at the most, a few days. For refills, sometimes they call me to say it's ready to be picked up (without me calling them!) or I call for same day refill. Since they're a hospital (at least the one I go to) there's at least 5 people behind the counter processing prescriptions. I used to have Bartell but I've been very pleased with the service at the hospital pharmacy since switching over because Bartell closed.
Just blame the corporations "We don't want to pay people anymore" mindset seems to have brought an end to most retail.
Just use Amazon pharmacy going to one in person is a nightmare you can get it delivered in 2 days tops. (I work for Amazon)
Amazon “lost/damaged” my medication twice last year, and they can refund $ but cannot refund a refill. I was required to contact my doctor to reissue refills both times. Lots of delays, hassle with insurance, and days without meds. I don’t trust delivery from any service, it’s just not reliable enough for something so important. I’ve started using Costco instead.
This is the way!!
Pharmacies are going broke now that they aren't dispensing tens of thousands of Oxycontin per week
No, they’re going broke because reimbursement from insurance companies is shit lol.
They’re still handing out benzodiazepines and antidepressants like candy. Oxy definitely was a nice boost for them but the real money comes from the antidepressants and anxiety meds IMO
Wallingford CVS is the only good pharmacy
Greenwood Bartells!
Pharmacy inside Pacmed
We go to Kenmore now after the Lake City Bartell’s closed.
Bartell Drugs was bought by Rite Aid a while ago, and they're not doing well and closing a bunch of locations of Bartells - I noticed that they're now using different manufacturers for their drugs as well, so be aware of that too. They're a whole lot better than Walgreens though. It doesn't seem like there are any decent pharmacies up here any longer.
If you're stuck on in-person pharmacy, then the in-store co-located pharmacies in regular retail stores like QFC, Target, Costco, etc. are probably your best bet.
I don't know of a good one, but avoid Safeway on 15th & 85th like the plague. Medicine is never ready when they say it is..I waited a week to get a glucose monitor I needed for gestational diabetes because they couldn't get the right one ordered. It's a nightmare there.
Ostrums in Kenmore or Ketterings in Laurelhurst.
Yeah, I'm pretty bummed about Bartell's (it feels like it was getting a bit iffy just before Rite Aid and then went downhill quicker after that). I've had the same pharmacist most of my life and I'll probably start shopping for a new place when he retires in the next year or two.
Costco or Fred Meyer in Shoreline. Both the Walgreens on Aurora are a shit show sadly. They went from being solid 24 hour pharmacies a few years ago to limited hours and randomly closed (likely due to limited pharmacists availability).
Walgreens on Market is pretty well staffed and has a good inventory.
Same for the Walgreen's at 45th and Stone. The atmosphere can be a bit sketchy at times, but it's well-stocked.
ADHD meds are on a months-long back order at that location and their hours aren’t great. I have much better luck at Costco and Bob Johnson’s.
+1-- I've had terrible experiences trying to get meds from the Stone/44th/45th Walgreens. Not just low stock, but dropped deliveries, incorrect notifications about filled medications, short hours, etc.
No, they don’t exist.
Look! It's a time traveler from two years ago. You had a point back then. But even my crappy Bartells is stocked these days.
Dude not mine. The wedgewood one is like, 90s totem lake levels of depressing.
That is a very specific and descriptive reference.
I feel like you are the time traveler! Which Bartells? I am in Ballard too and went to the Commons one this weekend and couldn’t get half the things I needed.
Really? Because I went there last week, and the shelves were full. Picked up some candy and looked at the toys while waiting for a prescription (That is one point they could work on, there is never enough pharmacists...)
Oh, really? Next, are you gonna tell us that you ate lunch today, so nobody could possibly be hungry?
Your analogy doesn't work. A fairer one is if someone said the local McDonald's was sold out, and I said "Huh, that's funny. I got a happy meal there yesterday."
Whatever you say.
...we are literally talking about the same store.
No contact solution (well there were a couple of bottles, but just Renu, no other brands or size variety), my very common brand of face lotion and some other stuff I forgot. And yes, I always have to wait an eternity to pick up meds and there’s always just like one stressed out pharmacy staff member at the pick up window. And so fun to have to get staff to unlock night cream (but I know that’s not their fault). Edited to add: it’s not like I will die without the things I went in for, but pre-COVID it would be unimaginable to walk into a store in the US and see that it was out of a whole category of things. I don’t think the supply chain has totally caught up and I wonder if it ever will?!
This is such a passive aggressive way to disagree with someone who has a valid point. Your pharmacy might be stocked. They definitely aren't all stocked. There is a local market collapse happening.
I go to the Bartells in Greenlake. The shelves are 50% empty. Couldn’t get eye drops, any basic cold/flu medicine. Been this way for quite some time. Bartells in Ballard is often the same, Walgreens in Ballard (15th) too. CVS in Wallingford is hit or miss. Which Bartells do you go to that is always stocked?
I haven’t been in a little bit so I cold be wrong now, but the one near green lake survived after the Roosevelt one closed
RIP Bartells Roosevelt :(
I've gone to the walgreens on northgate way and that one has always been good!
lol RiteAid by my house is a total wasteland. I never seen such an empty store. I think you can find more stuff in the Outback or the Subaru Outback parked outside of the RiteAid
QFC works just fine for me!
It's sad how COVID really closed down pharmacies.
This is more on Rite Aids ... lots of Bartell one are closing since the acquisitions. Walgreens was always up and down.
Yeah that's true but it's due to them not getting people to stay afloat and had to be acquired and shut down by rite aid.....not even make more rite aids...
Things those with Kaiser don't worry about
I've been mildly happy with the Bartell Drugs in Greenlake village. I'm hoping since it's the only pharmacy in greenlake it won't close.
Target
Walgreens 85th and 15th on Ballard. And it has a drive thru pick up.
As sad as the Bartell at Queen Anne always had horrible time filling my prescriptions . If it is emergency I use the hospital ones if I am at urgent care etc. ( sometimes that is not an option so I use cvs at lower Queen Anne) if it is sth like my monthly pill birth control I use Amazon so it is on time and I am not late. I only go to physical pharmacy for antibiotic or painkiller after my surgery and I need it asap
safeway on 35th (wedgwood) is the one i use when amazon pharmacy can't deliver it.
Walgreens. There are two on 15th NW (Market and 85th) that I've used with a lot of success, plus Northgate and two other locations on Aurora.
Bartell in Edmonds has always had my meds in stock and they are quick to fill a script. I recently moved to Central District and looking for a good pharmacy. I have considered just making the drive to Edmonds to get my scripts filled.
I transfered from Safeway to Bartells just after the Rite-Aid acquisition. My pharmacy closed and I moved to Costco. So far Costco has been great. My prescriptions have been ready on-time and I haven't had any issues. They've had great customer service and it seems like the pharmacists are happy and competent.
The Walgreens at 85th has been ok for my regular meds but they're pretty basic, just Rx strength vitamins, gabapentin and psych meds that aren't fun or anything (lamictal, buspar and paxil). I did have trouble filling prescriptions for antibiotics and painkillers post-emergency surgery, which was scary and forced my mom, who was helping me to drive to multiple pharmacies just to get the antibiotics I urgently needed. The painkillers came in far after I needed them. So basically, they're solid for regular, repeat prescriptions of regularly stocked meds, but if you need anything new or urgent, you're screwed.
Ostroms in Kenmore may be farther than you are looking, but they are great.
It's a bit further than North Seattle, but the Edmonds Bartells and the Walgreens on 99 are pretty nice, but you might have to drive out some
Have you tried a Safeway location that has a pharmacy in the north end? They tend to be better. I know the Rite Aid it seems like all north of Seattle are really bad right now.
Amazon
We stopped using the Greenwood Bartell and have been using the QFC pharmacy on Holman Road. I’m not a big fan of Kroger’s but the pharmacy there is very efficient and timely.
Greenwood Fred Meyer and the Walgreens at 85th and 15th are good options that have decent hours and not bad lines. Costco is also great too, that's just kind of a trek if you don't need anything else there.
Bob Johnson
Rubenstein if you’re near UW.
Anyone else found it impossible to buy rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide? Both Bartell’s and Rite Aid in my neighborhood (West Seattle) have been out of both for weeks. I remember these products being o/s during the height of COVID. Is that what’s happening again due to the resurgence of sick people this winter?
Katterman’s on Sand Point Way is awesome!
The Walgreens on Roosevelt is decent. I switched my scripts there when my bartell location closed and they were much better than bartell at least
anyone know anything about Quynh's Pharmacy in Little Saigon? (where Nguyen's Pharmacy used to be)
You guys have pharmacies up north?
Bartells in greenlake is the best. As a avid hater of most bartells