BUY LOCAL The Apothecary Depot Square, Peterborough, New Hampshire An Old-Fashioned Pharmacy with a Nontoxic Twist

Medication isn't one-size-fits-all. Gloria Shkolnik knows this very well, which is why she opened a pharmacy where she can customize it according to each customer's specific needs. &emsp;&emsp;Shkolnik's store, The Apothecary, opened in July in Depot Square in Peterborough, New Hampshire. She is a trained and licensed pharmacist who specializes in compounding, a method of mixing to individualize a prescription for a patient. &emsp;&emsp;A retail pharmacist for 22 years who has been compounding nearly as long, Shkolnik moved to Peterborough from New York a year ago when she "fell in love" with the town following a visit. She had heard about an apothecary in downtown Keene and went to apply for a job there, only to realize it had closed in 2018. Shkolnik owned her own retail pharmacy in addition to working for her current business partner (who owns four pharmacies in New York). &emsp;&emsp;Because there was an absence of small-business pharmacy options in the region, she looked for a space in Peterborough for her pharmacy. She liked the name of the shuttered Keene store and adopted it for her own. She found a space for her new business on the lower floor of what was once Sharon Arts gallery on Depot Square. &emsp;&emsp;Compounding, mostly left to specialists today, provides customers with a medicine designed specifically for them, taking the whole body into consideration and not only the symptom. It may reduce the number of drugs someone takes or make it possible to take medication if, for instance, the patient is allergic to an ingredient in the medicine. &emsp;&emsp;"I can make it without that ingredient," she says. "Or with certain flavorings or in a dosage that's not (readily) available. Sometimes medication comes in a tablet, and they need a (liquid) suspension." &emsp;&emsp;Other times, compounding allows access to unavailable medications, discontinued or on backorder. &emsp;&emsp;"I can (compound) anything by prescription a person may need that is not already pharmaceutically made as a registered pharmacy besides eye drops and injections," says Shkolnik. &emsp;&emsp;Compounding is not only for humans: Shkolnik also compounds medication for pets. She can infuse flavor (chicken, braised beef and tuna are among the available choices) to make it tastier or create a tab form that starts melting in the animal's mouth. Doctors and veterinarians in the area can now prescribe compounded medications to their patients to be picked up at The Apothecary. Priority shipping throughout New Hampshire, delivery and curbside pickup service are also available. &emsp;&emsp;Shkolnik often works with a mortar and pestle to combine medications. A tool that's been around since the Stone Age, it has been used in apothecaries to combine and grind medicines and herbs since the 19th century. &emsp;&emsp;Many medications are mass-produced, she explained and can not be altered to fit a person's health needs. Furthermore, she went on, many drugs deplete nutrients your body needs. &emsp;&emsp;In addition to being a compounding pharmacy, The Apothecary is also a retail pharmacy offering high-quality supplements for adults and children and holistic pet products — and it's a gift shop. &emsp;&emsp;"For children, from what they wear to what they put on their skin, there are so many toxins in the environment," notes Shkolnik. "The store is based on a nontoxic lifestyle; I wanted it to encompass wellness. I wanted to provide that for the community." &emsp;&emsp;The list of holistic products available at the store includes organic and nontoxic skin and hair care and scents, organic cotton and bamboo pajamas for children and robes for women, home gifts, accessories (hand-painted silk scarves, handbags), snacks and chocolate with no refined sugar. &emsp;&emsp;"The (products) I stock are things you wouldn't necessarily find in a chain store," says Shkolnik. "Most brands I carry are new, and I want to introduce them." &emsp;&emsp;Similar to an old-time apothecary, Shkolnik works to build relationships with her customers. &emsp;&emsp;"People can come for a consultation," she says. "Customer service and education are important. I want people to have a place to come where we know them by name, and they can ask questions." BOXThe Apothecary20 Depot St. Unit 40Peterborough, NH 03458603-924-2994info@theapothecarynh.comtheapothecarynh.com