Clark’s stores in Franklin, Kettering, Troy and West Carrollton will close. The company will try to retain as many employees as possible from the affected stores, Clark said. Others will have a chance to apply for jobs with CVS, he said.
The Tipp City location will focus on making compounds and selling home medical equipment, while the Washington Twp. store will become a showroom for medical products, Clark said. The company’s Dayton store, located on Smithville Road in Belmont, will provide long-term care pharmacy services, he said.
The company’s Brookville, Beavercreek and New Lebanon locations will remain open as retail pharmacies, Clark said. CVS will not take over any Clark’s locations.
Clark, a third-generation owner and pharmacist, said the steps are aimed at positioning the company for future growth in the face of federal health care reforms and possible changes in tax policies.
Clark said he wanted the business to de-emphasize, but not exit, retail. It will put greater focus on selling home medical products, offering long-term care pharmaceutical services and providing custom compounds to caregivers and patients, Clark said.
“This transaction, as it is pending, in no way means Clark’s is getting out of the retail pharmacy business,” he said.
He said in an interview as well as a letter to employees outlining the changes that he wasn’t looking to sell a piece of the company when the opportunity arose.
“We were solicited by CVS for this merger,” he said in a letter to employees. “At first I was reluctant. In fact, I was against it.
“But, as I thought about it, I realized that by being able to truly focus our efforts on the areas where we have the most impact for our customers – those services that other pharmacies don’t offer,” he said.
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