BUSINESS UPDATE: New Jewish-led pharmacy and gift shop offers unrivaled service and unique holiday gifts

Inflation is at an historic high. There is plenty of uncertainty in the world at the moment, but one thing we can rely on is our community,” said Ian Tasman, owner of Pharmacy on the Park. “For this reason, it’s more important than ever to shop small this Chanukah season and support your local economy even beyond the holidays.” 

A new Jewish-owned pharmacy and gift shop, Pharmacy on the Park is located on the outskirts of Oviedo on the Park (hence the name). Tasman and his staff pride themselves on being a new-age, independent pharmacy, providing top-level customer service, compounding and a unique front-end gift shop.

Tasman is as local as one can get. Born at Winter Park Hospital, he attended the Maitland JCC nursery school and the Hebrew Day School. After graduating Winter Park High School, he briefly left Central Florida to earn a doctorate in Pharmacy, always with the goal of coming back to Central Florida to service this community that has always shown him so much support. 

Fast forward several years later, gaining experience in retail pharmacy, compounding, central fill and long-term care pharmacy, he opened his pharmaceutical business.

“ I hope to convince you as to why you should not only support a small business during this time of uncertainty, but also why it is best for you and your family to switch your medications over to an independent pharmacy today,” Tasman told Heritage. 

Customer Service to the Bone

Unlike the big box retail pharmacies, like CVS, Walgreens and Publix, Pharmacy on the Park has time and patience to devote personal care. Instead of treating you like a number with automated messages and half-hour hold times, they take the time to get to know you and your family. 

Pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare workers and should be leaned on in the community as a reputable, reliable resource. Unfortunately, many of the big retail pharmacists don’t have the bandwidth to be this for their community, but Pharmacy on the Park does. They are able to look into your health plan and provide valuable recommendations. Not only that, many don’t realize that your pharmacist should work with your doctor to ensure you are getting the best treatment plan possible for your unique situation. “We know your providers and they know us, which makes it that much easier to collaborate for your benefit,” Tasman stated. 

“No waiting is what we strive for,” Tasman continued. “We go out of our way to fill your prescriptions immediately, texting or calling once they are ready to be picked up, and in some cases delivered. More importantly, we answer the phone when you call; gone are the days of waiting on hold for half an hour to talk to your pharmacist.” 

Didn’t know you needed compounding?

Taking customer service to the next level, the Pharmacy on the Park building is outfitted with a non-sterile compounding room, which means we can tailor medications to the specific needs of a patron. For example, ifyou have trouble swallowing pills they can change your pill into a liquid. Other benefits of compounding mean that they can also make gluten-free, dye-free, vegan and pork free capsules. 

For humans and animals, Pharmacy on the Park is solution driven, helping children take pills by compounding them into lollipops. Not to forget Fido, they can compound your dog’s pills into treats they’ll enjoy as well. The possibilities are endless. 

Visit Pharmacy on the Park’s website compounding page to learn all they can do and feel free to call them at 407-977-9779 if you have any questions. 

Not found on Amazon

Similar to the pharmacies you are familiar with, Pharmacy on the Park also carries over the counter medications and supplies. However, something that sets them apart is their extensive array of thoughtful gifts. Tasman’s mother, Raci Tasman, has done an outstanding job carefully curating a front end that pulls products and vendors from all walks of life, including Jewish-owned, LGBTQ+-owned, women-owned and locally-owned. Not found on Amazon, there is truly something for everyone. 

Visit the pharmacy’s Instagram and Facebook pages to see examples of what they’re showing currently.

Pharmacy on the Park is located at 784 C. Central Ave., Oviedo, Fla. They are open six days a week, 8 a.m — 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. — noon on Saturday. They are closed on Sundays.