Skenderian Apothecary

This is truly the only pharmacy I have ever loved – as in, a) it broke my heart when a certain local university changed its insurance and I could no longer fill my prescriptions here; b) every pharmacy I tried after that was disappointing in comparison; c) when it came time to pick my new insurance, my primary criterion for evaluating plans was whether both my PCP *and* Skenderian accepted the carrier.
Things to love: For one, it’s a locally owned, independent pharmacy, and there aren’t a ton of those left. But there are other things that set Skenderian apart, even from another LOIP about a mile down the road. From the moment you walk in, for instance, it just feels different – it’s bright and airy, well-​stocked but not cramped, and surprisingly open. I never realized what a difference it makes in the atmosphere of a place to have the pharmacists right there when you walk in (instead of tucked in the back behind a high wall and/​or 2″ of reinforced glass), but it’s notable: You feel a lot more like these friendly people are here to help, and a lot less like they’re convinced you’re going to try to rob them for prescription painkillers. :P
The most amazing thing about Skenderian, though, is the people who work there. The pharmacists have answered any and every question I’ve ever asked, which is *a lot* of nerdy, nerdy questions. They’ve gone above and beyond to get my prescriptions filled, up to and including borrowing tablets from another pharmacy so that I didn’t have to wait a day for something urgent. Doctors have told me for years that I should use a Peak Flow meter for my asthma, but I never bothered until one of the pharmacists at Skenderian told me about all the useful things I could do with that data if I made a habit of collecting it. Another time I asked for pseudoephedrine-​containing cold medicine (that’s the more effective kind you have to show a driver’s license to get) and, rather than automatically toss me some Whatever-​Quil, the woman behind the counter asked me some questions about my symptoms – and then handed me this inexpensive, nondescript box of tablets containing one active ingredient I’d never heard of (which is impressive; I’m kind of a pharma nerd), and that turned out to be *far and away* the most effective cold medicine I’ve ever taken. The people who answer the phones have been equally patient and helpful, whether the question is «Which insurances do you take?» or «Could you possibly read me my full prescription history for the last year?»
In short, I go out of my way to go to Skenderian – and so long as I can help it, I’m never going anywhere else again.

Hands down the very best!!!
They are professional, kind and above all very knowledgable !

I never think twice about sending my prescriptions to Skendarian!
Whenever I call them to check up on something they’re always extremely friendly and helpful too (i.e. tell me exactly what the problem is, instead of just saying «oh, I can’t help you, sorry»).
The other day I witnessed one of the pharmacists spend 10+ minutes going over the intricacies of sitz baths with a slightly befuddled old woman. If that’s not customer service, I don’t know what is!
I probably wouldn’t buy personal care products here, since they’re usually cheaper at CVS/​Walgreens/​etc. (As much as I would like to support local businesses, I’m not trying to spend my hard-​earned money on Kleenex.)
Still, Skendarian is a neighborhood treasure, and I would definitely recommend coming here if you want to feel like your pharmacist is actually looking out for you!

Buyer Beware! This local store is why people go to Amazon. I try hard to support local small businesses, so I purchased a somewhat pricey health care item ($ 300) from the store. Turns out it the iten did not work at all from the get go. Their response from the clerk to the brother owners was completely unhelpful. A party line, «we have signs posted at the cash register, no returns after 5 days» All I wanted was an exchange and they told me I had to handle that myself directly with the manufacturer. Although they had no problem taking my money to begin with and ordering the item for me… Rudeness and disinterest in any level of maintaining a customer. These folks need to go back to school in customer service. Or maybe do the community a favor and retire. Will NEVER walk in that store again.

After calling all the chain stores to find a simple product and hearing no we dont have this. I called them up and a very pleasant man told me oh ya we have it. It was so nice to hear it cause I was so frustrated at this point.
When I showed up, walked threw the door, I was greeted with smiles and a helpful person and asked them for the product, they walked me over to the item, they picked up for me and gave it to me. I went to pay for it and when I was just to walk out the door that same person said to me have a great day and I do hope the person you bought that for gets better… now how sweet is this.
This just shows you everyone at this place really cares and have totally awesome customer service skills. Alot of places could take lessons from this place…
I will be coming back…

When it seems like every other pharmacy is a chain of some kind, it’s amazing to actually visit a local family-​run one. Joe, Tom, and Robert have always been extremely kind, attentive, and knowledgable every time I had a question. They know the neighborhood as well as they know their pharmacology and it shows. Bottom line it’s just great to have someone who knows your name also help you field questions about health.

I would have loved to give this place a 5 star review, because of its reputation alone, and because I support small independents. My story: I transferred from CVS and I brought in a prescription that was written with a refill. At refill time, Skenderian a) denied that there was a refill remainingand b) would not produce a record of the original rx and c) were rude, snide and defensive. I couldn’t believe it – they had been so jovial BEFORE I transferred to them. How was this possible?
(BTW, My physician confirmed my recollection of how the rx was written).
I also was surprised to see the rx ledger out in the open because I could see names of other customers and their medications, which is a HIPAA violation. I hope they have corrected this by now.
I transferred back to CVS. Welcome back to my friendly neighborhood corporate conglomerate.
Maybe the brothers were having an off day, but their behavior was arrogant and apparently dishonest.

I have a cat with congestive heart failure. He takes 3 different meds daily, which I have compounded at Skendarian. One day there was a mix up and the vet took almost a week to call in the refill. By then my car was in his last dose of his meds. The pharmacy was busy and they weren’t going to be able to get it done until well after I take the commuter rail home. Believe it or not, the pharmacist offered to drop off the meds at my house, which was on his way home. Amazing. My cat got his meds without missing a dose. Best pharmacy EVER.

I have been going here during my years at harvard and this place is the best! the pharmacist i always talk to reminds me of the german style apotheke employees — takes the time to explain possible side effects, drug interactions, etc — moreover he even makes sure i’m getting the cheapest version of whatever and has held off on selling me something expensive til i found my prescription card again… so so so nice, to tight, there is absolutely NO REASON to go to walgreens or anywhere else where you get treated like you’re at a 7−11… pharmacists are trained professionals with tons of medical knowledge and the staff at Skendardian are the best of ‘em!!!

Have to admit I don’t have the slightest idea what criteria to use when grading a pharmacy, but the most obvious seems to be customer service and Skenderian has that in spades.
Sure the television commercials are a bit cheesy but they’ve never been out of what I came here for, they’re super helpful and I always get this feeling like I walked in on some silly family conversation they’re more than willing to welcome me into.
Skenderian has been such a wonderful change of pace from big-​box pharmacy.

I’ve had nothing but good experiences at Skenderian. At the 24 Hour CVS in Porter everything was always a disaster — you could call in advance, but it didn’t matter, because when you got there, you were going to wait in line for twenty minutes and then they would tell you that they never got your call and you get to wait for another twenty minutes.
Skenderian’s just made me so happy. It’s that feeling that you get when you call and talk to a human, and then the humans tell you human things that recognize that, hey, we are both humans and we don’t have to treat each other like zombie robots. My experiences were all professional and positive. When I moved away, I asked them if they could refer me to a West Coast branch, because the thought of going back to CVS made me dramatically unhappy.

«This place is great! This place rocks!» Well, I must be missing the joke here. I’ve been here let’s say, a dozen times to refill prescriptions for my cat. They are compounds and as such need to be called in well ahead of time, but yet within some mystical window because they will not keep them in a fridge for a day. We’re never on the same page with this.
The last time was indeed the last straw. The two brothers, reminiscent of the two codgers up in the balcony from ‘The Muppet Show’, are about as demeaning, condescending and arrogant as one could ever dread encountering. George C. Scott’s rendition of «Scrooge» was cuter and cuddlier. The pills (two scripts) ordinarily come to $ 50. The compounding, which consists of grinding the tiny pills into a powder and combining with some gelatinous goo is another FORTY FIVE DOLLARS. This time, I politely cleared my throat and inquired why.
Before I could finish my sentence, one of the brothers, Waldorf I think, has my response waiting like a finely polished Colt in a gunfighter’s holster. He snaps off, «TIME!» Time? Cue the ensuing pissing match. He begins yammering on about taking his car to his mechanic and being charged an exorbitant sum for a tiny turn signal bulb. Then, he very venomously asks, «You go to a doctor don’t you? WELL, DON’T YOU?!? Do you ask THEM why it’s so expensive??» Yeah, I was pissed. I mean, who doesn’t love revisiting those days of being spoken to like an 8-​year-​old who just wrote «dad is fat» in Crayon on a bedroom wall?
I don’t recall exactly what my response was, but it wasn’t one of gratitude and well-​wishes. Actually, I don’t think I said anything. I simply gave him a look that could melt stone. I tell him there’s no need to speak to me like (see above) and that’s when he tells ME I’m the one who came in with the, how did he phrase it? Oh yes, «a big chip on my shoulder». That’s when I pay, take my receipt and very calmly respond with, «Sir, if you don’t want my money then I’m more than happy to spend it somewhere else.» and leave.
If you’re into the whole, «kiss the ring» vibe and fancy a good tongue-​lashing, then this will be your Nirvana. Go ahead. Question their prices or methods. But, you’d better be wearing a cup and a helmet. It’s going to get messy for you.

I’ve been a very happy customer of Skenderian’s since 2005, when I discovered it, living in the neighborhood. I’ve since moved, but I will never, ever get my prescriptions filled anyplace else. Why?
1. Possibly the best pharmacy in the world, as far as customer service, fast prescription-​filling, great advice.
2. Local, family-​owned. They remembered my name the third time I went, and always greet me
3. Delivery (haven’t used this service, but it’s good to know its there if I need it).
In a previous lifetime, I used to use Target and/​or CVS. At both of these places, I’ve received the wrong prescriptions and/​or dosage. That has never happened to me at Skenderian Apothecary (I mean, sure, these guys are probably human, too, but they are very, very, very careful with what they dispense and they handle a high volume).

This might just be the best pharmacy in the entire world. They have everything a pharmacy should have, and not the stuff it shouldn’t. They compound, carry a large amount of medical supplies (to include tons of helpful baby related stuff), are family and locally owned, and the staff is incredibly helpful and friendly.
They don’t carry groceries and I couldn’t care less.
The bottom line is that this place is fantastic.

The staff at Skenderians really take the time to get to know their loyal customers. Needless to say, they will remember your name, greet you, and get your pick-​up ready the moment they see you. Superb customer service and counseling you won’t get at chain pharmacies like CVS.
To decrease your wait, call ahead of time letting them know your refill numbers so your order is ready the moment you walk in.
Another thing that really sets Skenderians apart is their ability to do custom compounding – for human and pet medications. The only thing they don’t compound are sterile preparations. Although they don’t take insurance for their compounded products (base price of $ 45), at least the service is available for Bostonians.
They also have a wide variety of medical equipment available. If they don’t have it, they can order it for you.
In terms of over the counter products, they have all the essentials. While they don’t have as much variety compared to your chain stores, they do have at least 2 options available for most products. They also don’t carry a lot of stock for their products but new stock will be available within 24 hours should anything run out.
The Skenderians are very accommodating to delivering orders ($ 5 delivery fee outside Cambridge/​Somerville area, but free within the area) and doing special requests.
They are experienced in taking phone orders and answering questions over the phone so don’t hesitate in calling them.
While the store from an outside glance and the inclusion of ‘apothecary’ in their name makes Skenderians seem so retro, don’t let these fool you— the service and personal connection Skenderians offer is excellent and far exceeds the treatment you’ll get at retail chains!

Family owned, and the brothers are great, so I make the hike out here from the river. They know us so my bringing in scripts for the family isn’t a big deal, and they’ll deliver. I’m not, however, a big fan of some of their new staff, who seem kind of snooty.
I stick to prescriptions since the actual merchandise is kind of expensive unless I’m in dire need of something (like Luden’s throat drops for the niece when she was super sick, which I couldn’t find in any of the other stores near me). I had to switch a script at one point because they started carrying a different generic, and there have been times they haven’t had what I needed, likely because of their small size. So I’ve got Skenderian, Rite Aid and CVS bottles hanging around. For new scripts, though, I go here first unless it’s late and I need a 24 hour place.
Oh, and when I did veterinary stuff, that’s where we sent people for compounded and oddly flavored medications, which they were always great about.
They do have a few spaces in a lot behind the place but for the most part it’s street parking. So knocking off a star is the parking, the distance and annoying commute, the kind of snooty new staff, and the fact that I never know if they’re going to have what I need, which makes the trip completely useless. Other than that, though, I’m all for supporting family owned stuff and they’re great.

I just came here for the first time today, although I have been eyeing it for awhile during visits to Darwin’s. My husband left Inman Pharmacy to come here a few months ago and convinced me to, and I’m glad I did. I was a little confused when I came in and when the pharmacist came down to help me, I explained it was my first time in, and the two other customers in the pharmacy offered out of nowhere «you’re going to REALLY LOVE this place. this is THE BEST PHARMACY in cambridge!» i didn’t know people could get that stoked about a pharmacy, but i’m down :)
while i was waiting for my prescription i noticed the pharmacist greeted several people who came in by name and had actual conversations with them — i love that they know their customers here. that really impressed me. take that, cvs!
the pharmacist was very nice and helpful and explained my medication very clearly (and privately), which i appreciated. the pharmacy itself is very well lit, clean, with actual products i might want to buy (like fancy dry shampoo) on the shelves as opposed to dusty crap like other pharmacies around cambridge.
this feels like a very townie place — in a good way!

This is such an awesome place! I admit it: I only heard of it because of the many local commercials aired, but who cares? Not only is it a well-​stocked drug store, but the people who run it are so pleasant and sweet. I like having someone smile at me when I come in and ask me how I am, and mean it. And find things for me when I (am dumb and) cannot find them myself.
I’m so happy that places like this still exist and that I have access to one so nearby.

I cannot believe this place exists.
I got in the knack of using family pharmacies back when I lived in New Hampshire — my mother always used chains and never thought twice, but it occurred to me at one point when I passed the forlorn-​looking pharmacy in my hometown that it wouldn’t be open much longer unless people went there, and indeed, I was the only person under 70 who ever seemed to be in there. Voting with your dollars and all that.
So, it was natural to seek out Skenderian’s when I first came to Boston.
I could not believe how awesome it was. I have a chronic health condition, and the first they made mention of my rather-​frequent trips to their shop was six months later when they pointed out a drug interaction both I and the prescribing physician had missed, when I was filling a new script. (And I’m normally very careful about these things.)
I learnt that they delivered by looking at their Web site. Then I learnt that they would accept my refill request by Web. As I’m nigh-​unto deaf (at the age of 27), this was a life-​saver.
I could *pay* by Web as well. I did that, until I discovered that I could (2 years into my association with them) just leave an imprint of my card on file with them, and then have them deliver the next day, for $ 5 above my co-​pay. Done. Happily. Between my doctors calling in the script and their delivery service, when I’m in agony from an emergency room visit and they open in the morning, I can go crash and have the script there in a few hours, all without moving a muscle more than needed.
As if these weren’t enough virtues, as a former lactation counsellor, I can tell you that they stock absolutely everything a nursing mother would need, both in the way of pumping supplies and soothing ointments and cold packs. They run a decent variety of hospital-​type medical supplies, a more than adequate supply of OTC needs (everything I’ve ever needed, I’ve found there, and as a former medic, I can tell you that my medical kits can be rather esoteric) and, of all things, Swiss chocolate from fall until spring. (They don’t stock it in the summer, when it would melt before we could lay our hands on it.)
They have all of my prescription business and almost all of my medical business. They are phenomenal and I cannot stop trumpeting their praises.

I love that this place is a small business and they use the word Apothecary. It sounds so regal and nice.
I’ve gone here for vitamins, band-​aids, various things for my Papa, toiletries, etc. The Skendarian brothers are nice and helpful. The store is always well-​stocked and the prices are right.
I will go out of my way to shop here for items.
Glad to see it’s still in business.