By Brian Kelly
Herald Writer
The Stillaguamish Tribe will open a specialty pharmacy next week at the site of its fireworks stand outside Arlington, the latest business venture intended to strengthen the small tribe’s financial future.
Tribe officials hope the pharmacy lures American Indians and their families from Snohomish, Whatcom and Skagit counties. But the business plan doesn’t stop there.
"Our service is going to be open," said Eddie Goodridge, co-executive director of the tribe.
The pharmacy will serve Indians and other in-need customers, and offer a range of prescription drugs, medicines and related off-the-shelf items on a mail order and call-in, pick-up basis. Rates will depend on whether there’s a tribal affiliation.
The number of Indian clients alone could be substantial, tribal officials say. A business consultant for the Stillaguamish has estimated that the tri-county region has an Indian population that could be as high as 8,000 people.
Those involved in the pharmacy project are careful to say they’re not looking to take business away from other pharmacies in the area.
"We’re not opening up to put people out of business. We’re opening up to get our people to stick their money back in their own community," Goodridge said. "They have to buy their drugs anyway, why not buy them from us at a reduced rate?"
"Our main target is Native Americans; we believe that that is our market. In that essence, we don’t think we’re taking that market from anyone," he said.
"We’re not going to be out there actively trying to steer non-native customers away from other pharmacies," Goodridge added. "On the other hand, we’re not going to turn them down if they come to us."
The pharmacy will be housed in a double-wide mobile home that the Stillaguamish received as surplus from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Over the summer, it was used to house the tribe’s fireworks business. But in early August, carpenters went to work rebuilding the inside.
The walls were reinforced for security reasons and an office that will serve as the tribe’s police station was installed at one end of the building. Jim McKenzie of Round Mountain Enterprises, the company that built the tribe’s food bank and completed other projects for the Stillaguamish, handled the hammer-and-nail chores. The remodel cost roughly $30,000.
The tribe is planning a public open house for the pharmacy from 1 to 7 p.m. on Jan. 14.
Tribe members hope the operation will lead to more businesses on the tribe’s property next to Highway 530. The Stillaguamish already lease land at their Highway 530 property for a successful smoke shop, and Century 21 is now renting office space at the burgeoning business park.
The tribe is also considering other facilities for the triangle-shaped piece of trust land, which takes up roughly 1 1/2acres on the south side of Highway 530 just east of I-5. The next project is a major expansion of the tribe’s fireworks store.
You can call Herald Writer Brian Kelly at 425-339-3422 or send e-mail to kelly@heraldnet.com.
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