Dr. Anu and the Community Pharmacy That Became a Neighbourhood Institution
Anushanthini Balasupramaniam opened a small pharmacy in Scarborough 18 years ago. Today it is a trusted community anchor.
When Dr. Anu opened her independent pharmacy on Ellesmere Road in 2008, her goal was simple: to serve the Tamil and South Asian communities of eastern Scarborough in their own language, with the time and patience that large chain pharmacies rarely offered. She hired pharmacists who spoke Tamil, Hindi, and Sinhalese. She stayed open until 8pm. She called elderly customers to remind them about their medications.
Today, the pharmacy has grown to a team of six pharmacists and three pharmacy assistants, has won three municipal small business awards, and manages the medication needs of over 2,000 active patients. Dr. Anu still personally counsels patients every afternoon. "Pharmacy is not retail," she says. "It is care."