AURORA, Colo. — More neighborhoods are soon to have less access to important prescription medication.
Earlier this year, the Walgreens location at Mississippi and Peoria closed, one of several closures across the state. It was surprising to people who work and live nearby, who told Denver7 it was always a busy location.
"When it shut down, it was a shock," said Dr. Mary Desta, the owner of APEX Pharmacy, which is on the opposite end of the shopping center. "It cannot be numbers. It could not be business. Their reason, I have no idea."
The entire area is surrounded by neighborhoods. Desta said she noticed when patients needed somewhere else to go.
"We started getting a lot of influx from them," she said.
In addition, the Safeway across the street is closing, pushing more neighbors in need of prescriptions to APEX Pharmacy.
"More people are transferring quicker than we thought they would, and we're getting a large influx," said Desta. "We're big enough to meet their demands."
Denver7 heard from viewers who said they are concerned about the Safeway closure, especially because they count on being able to walk to the big box store.
Beth emailed Denver7, saying that she now has to take a bus ride to get to her nearest pharmacy or grocery store.
To get to the nearest grocery/ pharmacy, you would either need to walk 28 minutes west to King Soopers or 43 minutes east to the Walmart Super Center.
"It's just a big old, you go in there to pick up your medicine, and you end up with chips and snacks, and it's just grabbing stuff. That's not what you have a pharmacy for," said Gail Elliott, who lives in Aurora.
Elliott gave up on corporate pharmacies a few years ago.
"You walk in the door and they say, 'Hey, Gail.' I like that, and they take care of you," she said of APEX Pharmacy.
It's that type of community that Desta said could help make sure small businesses don't become the next empty storefront.
"It gives me peace knowing that regardless of what happens around me, the support from the community has proven to me that we're here to stay," she said.
