Westside Pharmacy & Medical Supply

This is a place I would love to love, but instead I wonder why I’m a customer. They have some of the worst customer service in Santa Cruz.
A couple of months ago, I showed up at 9 AM on my way to work. There was already a line. The doors opened at 9:10 and I was waited on at 9:20. I was told my pickup would be in 20 minutes. I had another errand to run and I came back ½ hour later. They told me it would be ready in 20 minutes. This was a typical visit.
Their staff is often friendly, and just as often they are cold and impersonal.
They must realize their competition is CVS and Safeway. I might have to try Safeway…

I too try to support local businesses, but this place is a real challenge. Where do they find the immature girls who work there. I always call in refills, give them a couple days and still have to wait a half hour. Like to think they are reading these reviews, but see no improvement.

What happened here? I’ve been coming to Westside Pharmacy forever and it seems like in the last year the pharmacy has gone downhill.
I was in there two weeks ago, precsriptions not filled (even though they had called and told me so!) and the people working there were so immature and had no idea what they were doing! The ‘boy’ that was helping me did not know ONE answer to my questions and the little girls working there could only talk about ordering their lunch and what they were going to have. I was in there for 20 minutes and they still couldn’t figure out my prescription. I left, only to return and they had messed it up again!!! Who is running this place? Get some people who know what they are doing in here!
Love to support local businesses, but my children’s well being comes first. Sorry. Taking my business elsewhere.

I have been using Westside for about 4 years now and am very happy with their service. They are GREAT if you have a relative like I do in an assisted-​living facility. They work well with the facilities in town, deliver for free, and have a lot of knowledge about medical equipment. Judy is very good and really knows the equipment and also knows how to handle the medicare and other insurance issues. I really am happy to support a local business– like many I was unhappy when Longs became CVS and was merchandised in favor of candy and seasonal items rather than medical needs. I feel very fortunate to have found this business and really appreciate the help they provide caregivers– you will not get this level of service from a large pharmacy chain.

great service, relaxing place, unique gifts, friendly employees. never had any problems!
they also carry comfort shoes. I really like the cozy santa cruz feel.

I tried this pharmacy recently. because I am over CVS.
They have about 10 employees working and yet not one of them smiled at me.
I stand at the counter and one of the employees asks if I have been helped. I say no and she called over the another employee to help me. She came over and said «What?»… No «how can I help you?» Just… «What?»
Whut. ?
Also, there was no asking «Is this a new prescription for you? Do you have any questions?»
It just seems like they are hiring anyone who can count to 50, read, use a cash register, and be somewhat rude.
Just really kind of bizarre. If they cut out half of their rude staff and hired a few gems who like people and pay them more, it would be for the better.

THE ABSOLUTE WORST… Go anywhere but here!!! Oh and not Horsnyder anymore since they were bought by Westside Pharmacy. The worst pharmacies EVER!!! Even worse than CVS downtown. And that’s saying a WHOLE LOT!

These are the most inept immature people I have ever dealt with
TONS of staff and no one can figure out anything it’s obnoxiously annoying
I can’t believe it I am looking at 9 employees and no one is helping me get out the door
My god people!

I recently switched from CVS to Westside Pharmacy for a variety of reasons including giving me the wrong medication! I now enjoy professional service from kind, competent people that even help with suggestions with over the counter aids and medications. Surprisingly they have every piece of medical equipment you could need from wheelchairs, lift chairs, compression socks, all of which is measured for by a real pro named Judy. As a therapist at Dominican Hospital, I happily referr all my patients there knowing they will be well cared for! Allison Purdie

Not good at all. I had an RX called it to them over a week ago, then when I went to pick it up, they said it was not ready because I was a new client, and I would have to wait a half hour. What??? That seemed ridiculous to me! Finally when I did get the Rx, they were not helpful at all, and seemed like they didn’t have a clue as to where the information was printed on the Rx or anything. I finally figured it out on my own, but was surprised that they didn’t know. They aren’t even open on the weekends when most people are off work and need to do their errands (like picking up Rx’s) only being open till 2 on Saturday, and closed all day on Sunday. This Pharmacy definitely will not work for me, and I was expecting better service.

Westside Pharmacy used to be a happening local business… now it’s a nightmare with frequent medication errors and poor customer service

Super helpful and courteous staff. Judy in medical assitive devices is wonderful! She works hard helping many and finds a way to get the best option for the most affordable price. The entire staff is awesome, I truly appreciate the service and support.

I wish I could give this business a negative number of stars!!! Horrible experience!!! I agree with the review that I wouldn’t send my worst enemy here. They screw up every time I come in to pick up prescriptions. The staff is rude and condescending and I just wonder how hard it is to put 30 pills in a bottle and have a customer pay for them??? Save yourself the time, heartache and energy… Go somewhere else. Anywhere else!!!

Every time I go to Westside Pharmacy I end up being totally frustrated. Refills take forever, hours are extremely inconvenient and meds are more expensive. Same thing, I tried to support a local business. Now I will have to look for an alternative…

I made a vow a few months back to never step into another CVS as long as I live. And so here I came, happy to support a local business, and even happier to have a pharmacy that was, well, just a pharmacy. Their staff is very friendly and helpful, and my prescription is always ready on time.
My only two (minor) complaints are the limited hours on weekends, and the absolutely impossible parking lot. I know the second isn’t their fault, it just makes the trip a bit more of an adventure sometimes.

Chris and staff run the best pharmacy in town.

Great customer service. I dumped CVS and joined the people who actually act like they care about you. Free delivery is so retro… How cool is that. When you are alone and sick having your meds delivered is awesome. Only complaint is not being able to turn left out onto Mission St. With that said, they should have put in turn pockets all down Mission when they had the chance. Oh Santa Cruz?

i’m really into supporting local businesses, so when i first started grad school in santa cruz i made a point of going to westside pharmacy — or, at least, i made a point of going there whenever i was running errands between 10am and 6pm. the problem is that i’m a grad student, so i’m far more frequently running errands at 7pm… or 9pm… or worse. the people at westside are really nice and helpful though, so that was my cutoff: before 6 i went to westside, and after 6 i went to longs (which, until the end of their stint here, usually had what i needed).
then CVS stalked me all the way from the east coast to swallow longs, *gut* the inventory, and either repopulate with less friendly employees or institute some personnel policy that’s put a bunch of the previously existing employees in a really cranky mood. after one particularly unpleasant experience at the mission st CVS (which also involved CVS only carrying 1 of the 5 things on my list that i’d been able to get at longs), i swore: never, ever, ever again was i going there.
now, if it’s at all possible to wait, i actively rearrange my schedule to go to westside pharmacy when i need something. they’re a smaller store, so they don’t have the same array of Random Huge Drugstore Stuff, but they usually have something i can use — and their prescription prices seem better than most of the chains. plus, they’re a local business — so it’s better to shop there anyway.
as it happens, i’m waiting for them to open right now.

They didn’t have the rinse I needed, so they ordered it for me. 2 days later they called to tell me it was in. Now that’s service. CVS is terrible. No nail files, no bobby pins, no fluoride rinse, no batteries, no service. Longs did local businesses a great service. Westside pharmacy is a great one to support. They have quality nic-​nacks too! Parking is nuts; small triangle-​shaped lot on the corner of Mission St. Oh well.

Not happy. I have to say, I finally decided to make the switch from Longs to a local pharmacy – support local businesses and all that jazz. I have to agree with the other review that they are more expensive, and they took FOREVER to refill my rx, even though it had been called in over 6 hours prior. They didn’t have me on file, as I was a new client, so instead of calling me, they just let it sit… then made me sit, and sit, and sit.
Their hours are inconvenient also, not something you want to worry about when you need an rx. I tried it, and will either go back to Longs or try Tom’s on Laurel Street, another local pharmacy.