Garfield Pharmacy aims to maintain neighborhood tradition

Jawad Hamdan, who opened the Garfield Pharmacy last month in Chicago’s Garfield Ridge community, is proud to be continuing a neighborhood tradition.
“I wanted to maintain an independent pharmacy in the area,” said Hamdan.
Garfield Pharmacy, 6456 W. Archer Ave., is now the fifth pharmacy that Hamdan has opened. He has other locations in Chicago’s Little Village, Pilsen and Gage Park neighborhoods, and in Chicago Ridge.
What appealed to Hamdan was that the Garfield Ridge location has a history of being an independent pharmacy. The site was most recently Archer Pharmacy and that location has been an independent pharmacy in the community for nearly 40 years.
“It’s an area that got my attention,” said Hamdan. “It was already set up to be a pharmacy. I like the area. It is very quiet and multicultural. We have a lot of people coming in who are Polish and Mexican. It is very steady.”
Hamdan said the people he has met are hard-working and loyal. They like the idea of an independent pharmacy where they feel comfortable and get to know the pharmacists and other employees. Hamdan said it is a connection to the neighborhood.
He said attentive service is provided with low prices. Free medication delivery is provided. Garfield Pharmacy accepts Medicare and Medicaid customers.
Hamdan has four employees at Garfield Pharmacy. He is looking for someone who can speak Polish. Hamdan’s goal is to eventually have 10 employees, which is about the number he has at each of his other locations.
Plans for a grand opening will take place when the weather improves, Hamdan said. He has tentative plans for music and will give out free gift bags.
Garfield Pharmacy is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Fridays, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays.
For more information, call 773-424-7772.
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Normal business hours of 2-10 p.m. started on Saturday, May 2.

Pandora to open at Chicago Ridge Mall
Pandora will open its third south suburban jewelry store on April 29, at Chicago Ridge Mall. The retailer also has stores at Orland Square Mall in Orland Park and one that opened in December at Louis Joliet Mall in Joliet.

Tinley Kmart adopts K-fresh format
Kmart is reconfiguring its Tinley Park store at 16300 S. Harlem Ave. from a Super Kmart into a new format the chain calls K-fresh.
The Hoffman Estates-based retailer is changing most of its remaining Super Kmarts into the new format, which includes the removal of its butcher, bakery and deli food service departments.
The new format also includes less sales floor space, reduced operating hours fewer staff.
The company said in a release at least five of its remaining 11 Super Kmart stores would be converted. The Tinley store was the only one in Illinois.
K-fresh stores have replaced the service departments with prepackaged items, and offer reduced brand variety and pack sizes.
Store hours have been cut from 24 hours to 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

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