Since purchasing the former Burt's Drug Store in 1946, Ed Shafer, and his son, Lee Shafer, current owner of the pharmacy, have operated Shafer's Pharmacy by one guiding concept: the people who walk through the front door are people first and patrons second. "We like to make people feel better, not just by providing them with medicine, but with some words of comfort, some extra time spent explaining what their medication is all about and how it should be taken. I hope a person leaves here feeling better than when they came in," says Lee.
Ben Shafer, a 1999 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh's School of Pharmacy will become the third generation owner of Shafer's. Lee & Ben and Lynn Roman are the pharmacists working at Shafer's.
Today Shafer's Pharmacy is Tamaqua's only family owned independent pharmacy.
Ed Shafer began his career as a Pharmacist after recieving his license in 1930 after graduating from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. In 1946 he purchased Burt's Drug Store on Center Street in Tamaqua (where the pharmacy is still located today) and began the family business, Shafer's Pharmacy.
Ed's son, Lee joined the family business after graduating from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science in 1971. Eventually Lee would take over the business and is still the owner today.
Ben Shafer is the newest generation to enter the family business. Ben has been working at the Pharmacy since 1999 when he graduated from the University of Pittsburgh Shcool of Pharmacy. One day Ben will take over the family business and keep the tradition of Pharmacy in his family.
