LAURIE ROSENTHAL Palisadian-Post Contributor The old adage, ‘When one door closes, another opens,’ has come true in the pharmacy business in Pacific Palisades. Pali Rx, owned and operated by pharmacist Jasmine Shabbouei, now occupies the corner space at Via de la Paz and Antioch that was formerly McKiernan Prescription Center for 52 years. However, another independently owned pharmacy, Village Pharmacy, closed in December in the 881 Alma Real building and will not be replaced. Shabbouei, who has lived with her husband and family in Pacific Palisades since 2003, opened for business on August 18. In these times, when mom-and-pop stores must compete against huge chain stores for sales, Shabbouei remains optimistic about Pali Rx’s prospects. For one thing, she explains, many people believe that prices are lower at chain stores, but that is not necessarily true. ’The insurance companies follow the same procedure, so the price and co-payment is the same everywhere,’ Shabbouei says. ‘We accept all major insurances. Most of the time our prices are lower.’ Pali Rx is also able to give customer service a high priority. ‘We offer more personal services for our customers, and listen to their needs,’ says the owner. ‘There are no big lines, and we provide free delivery.’ Special-order prescriptions and medical supplies are delivered the next day. There are four other pharmacies in the Palisades where people can bring their business, so Shabbouei is indeed grateful for her supportive customers. ‘We treat our customers like neighbors,’ she says, ‘not numbers.’ When asked about the former Village Pharmacy, owned by Tom Price, Shabbouei commented, ‘We are going to miss Tom. He is a good friend of ours and our pharmacy.’ But she admits, ‘So far it has been good for our business,’ as many of his customers have transferred their prescription accounts to Pali Rx. ‘We are doing very well.’ In order to entice people who are not necessarily purchasing medical-related products to come into the store, Shabbouei carries candy, ice cream, soft drinks, greeting cards and many standard items found in pharmacies, including vitamins, toothbrushes and mouthwashes. Her top-selling item: zinc lozenges. A native of Iran who attended Canoga Park High School, Shabbouei graduated from Pepperdine University with a degree in chemistry and earned her PharmD from the USC School of Pharmacy. She owned her own pharmacy in West Hills for 18 years, before selling the business in mid-2010 to be closer to home. Pali Rx is open Monday through Saturday and Shabbouei is there every day, from opening to closing. Her husband Joe (who formerly owned the California Pita and Grill restaurants in Woodland Hills and Brentwood) is closely involved in the business, from advertising and finances to store remodeling and making the deliveries. In addition, Shabbouei has one full-time employee, Leanna Brown. The Shabboueis live in the El Medio bluffs neighborhood with their two children, who attend Palisades High. David is a senior and treasurer of the Associated Student Body, while Danielle is a sophomore and on the track and basketball teams. Contact: (310) 454-0377.
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