WAYLAND, KY – Two years after devastating flooding tried to wash away the hopes and dreams of many Eastern Kentucky residents, one of its native sons is working to restore confidence in the region by opening a hometown pharmacy in a hard-hit community near his home.
Bradley Little worked for several retail pharmacies before gaining the knowledge and experience he needed to go to work for himself and build his own independent operation in the heart of Wayland, Ky. – the first pharmacy for the small mountain town.
The Knott County native opened Route 7 Pharmacy this spring, to offer the same products and services as larger pharmacies at better prices, delivered with small-town charm and first-class care for his customers.
“Wayland is a small town, close to my hometown. I wanted a location that would be convenient for everyone in the area,” Little said. “Wayland was the first place that came to mind. It has a great deal of potential and was central to a large population without an easily accessible pharmacy.”
It was his desire to help his friends and neighbors get the prescription medications they need close to home that inspired him to pursue his pharmaceutical degree.
Little earned his Doctor of Pharmacy from Appalachian College of Pharmacy and worked for five years at retail pharmacies to understand how a pharmacy should operate – from working one-on-one with customers to the appropriate dispensation of medicines in a retail setting. His goal was to create a customer-focused operation and make it the No. 1 choice in the community by giving customers first-class treatment.
Location was the first hurdle during the planning process. Little found the perfect spot across the street from Wayland’s newest medical and pediatric clinic. That would make it easy for folks to cross the street for medications after seeing the health professionals at the clinic.
Next, he wanted to deploy the appropriate customer relationship management (CRM) system to help him maintain one-on-one relationships with his customers by providing prescription reminders and other services to ease the burden of filling their prescriptions.
Little plans to employ as many as six people as the business grows. He currently has one certified pharmacy technician employed while he works full-time as its pharmacist. If need be, his mother fills in to help manage the day-to-day operations.
And the community has welcomed its first pharmacy with open arms.
Wayland Mayor Jerry Fultz says he has long wanted to make the city a health, wellness, and fitness community, and the pharmacy is just one more step toward achieving that goal.
“We are very pleased to have Bradley’s investment in our community,” Fultz said. “By opening and operating the new pharmacy, he is filling a real need for our residents.”
Floyd County Judge Executive Robbie Williams is pleased to welcome the new business and hopes it will attract more investments in the region.
“We are always eager for new businesses to come to Floyd County,” Judge Williams said. “With the devastating flooding that occurred on July 28, 2022, we were thrilled that a new business opened in Wayland so soon after that disaster. We thank SKED for their involvement with this new business venture and look forward to future projects.”
Little turned to Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation (SKED), a nonprofit lender serving Southern and Eastern Kentucky, to help finance his new business.
“SKED staff lets you know that your success is the top priority throughout the process. This is evident in the inspections completed throughout the building. It’s obvious they care that things are done correctly so the business can truly thrive. I built a personal relationship with the staff at SKED versus a strict business relationship like I have experienced working with traditional banks. SKED was always there for me and willing to answer any questions I had along the way.”
Bradley Little, Route 7 Pharmacy owner
He added that SKED Director of Lending Bob Burgess helped explain the process each step of the way. Burgess says it has been an honor to work with Little and to see the community get its first pharmacy.
“Brad has been great to work with,” Burgess said. “He knew there was a need for a hometown pharmacy in the community, and he was proactive and stepped up for the people of Wayland to deliver it. We are pleased to have been his choice for small business financing.”
For more information on Route 7 Pharmacy, visit the location at 2612 King Kelly Coleman Hwy, Wayland, Ky., or follow the business on Facebook.
To learn how SKED helps small business owners do business better, visit www.skedcorp.com or call (606) 677-6100.
