Hobbs residents, former Walmart employees and now entrepreneurs John Mezger and Mark Poling, with strong support from their wives, have opened a “one stop” pharmacy in Hobbs.
The pair planned the new venture for some time and did all the legal preparation necessary, including forming an LLC, to get the business up and running. Mezger and Poling’s vision from the very start remains constant – to “bless” the folks of Hobbs and neighbors.
About the new business Poling says, “This whole thing came about from inspiration. We feel that God directed us to do this, and so we are here to bless the community, to provide relief…”
Pharmacy 575 – Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm.
The new establishment, called Pharmacy 575, is located at 305 East Sanger Street, Suite 600, in a recently completed shopping mall. Of special note is that Pharmacy 575 is the southernmost pharmacy in Hobbs.
Hours of operation right now are Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm. Both drive thru and curbside service are always available.
Pharmacy 575 Offers “Everything in One Place”
According to the Pharmacy 575 website, customers will find “everything in one place”, including online ordering.
With more than 40 years of combined experience, pharmacists and staff are more than qualified to answer clients questions. Additionally, a wide selection of medicines and a full range of medical supplies are available. Vaccines are provided in the store’s welcoming atmosphere, and prescription records are safely and securely stored and easily accessible upon request.
Ribbon Cutting and Open House
The new pharmacy’s ribbon cutting ceremony and open house took place on Thursday afternoon, September 30. Well known Hobbs businesswoman, restaurateur and cateter Mama E was there with both Food Truck 1 and Truck 2. “Loaded fries,” desserts and soft drinks were served. According to Mama E’s chef Nate, the cheeseburger and the chili verde fries went the fastest and were hands down the favorites.
About Pharmacy 575 Mama E states in a video that is streaming on YouTube, “This is locally owned. You definitely want to support these guys. This is super cool, super beautiful. l love it.”
Mezger and Poling went all out to make Thursday’s grand opening event special. Over 250 free meals were served. “This is the first time ever that anybody with any type of a grand opening, anything like that, did both food trucks. They really went all out for the community. They paid for all of the food,” comments Mama E.
More Than A Pharmacy
Much more than pharmacy products are available at the new store. Unique gift items like goat milk soap, stuffed toys, organic specialties, food products and specialty cards provide shoppers choices that are quite different from those found at other stores.
About the concept of the new pharmacy, staff member Miss Laura says, “We are here to serve you. We’re local, a family business. We are here to make you feel at home. If we don’t have it, we will get it. We are bilingual, and right now we accept, pretty much, all insurance.”
When it comes to being bilingual, Mama E couldn’t compliment the excellence of co-owner Poling’s Spanish enough, jesting that he speaks better Spanish than she and her mother tongue is Spanish.
Also, Pharmacy 575 hopes to make clients’ interaction with their pharmacy a much more positive experience than the norm. Long waits for prescriptions have become commonplace, and Pharmacy 575 wants to alleviate this problem. “We’re here to make it a better experience for you, Hobbs,” states Poling.
Pharmacy 575 has less of a commercial and more of a homey ambiance than other establishments. “It is not so much like a store,” Mama E. says. “These people are doing their very best to grow Hobbs, to give people in Hobbs jobs, just to make Hobbs a better place. If you have to choose, choose them first.”
