Pharmacy giant CVS purchased the business and most of the employees will soon be working there. But that didn't make Wednesday's goodbye any easier for customers or the Renge family. Up until the end, staff continued to fill prescriptions. "Places like this had a sense of family. They knew your name when you came in and it wasn't a generic, 'hey, how you doing?'" said customer Roland Phillips.
Mel Renge grew up in the pharmacy and eventually took over the family business started by his father. "It's just been a tremendous journey for me and my family to be able to serve this community for all of these years," said Renge.
Customers like John H. Cornelious have been the family from the beginning and said the service provided there can't be beat. The Renge family has helped him with his diabetes medicine and even bill paying. "The best in the world that he gave me... He stuck with me all the way," said Cornelious.
Renge said the past few years have been tough as the economy failed and state and federal prescription reimbursements dwindled. He finally agreed to sell the business to CVS and will also go to work for the company. "It's kind of a weird thing. We're looking forward to going...yet at the same time we're sad. Like I said, it's a big time family atmosphere here," said Renge.
One of the things that made Renge Pharmacy so different was credit accounts and the family's commitment to help those who couldn't always afford their co-pays. Renge says CVS has committed to continue serving all of his customer's needs.
