Stroudsburg pharmacy closes, but not for long

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James Chikwanha of Stroud Compounding & Wellness Pharmacy, Inc. in Stroud Township in his pharmacy, which has acquired the client list from Kresge-Lebar pharmacy patients.Melissa Evanko/Pocono Record

March 03, 2013

At first glance, the sight of the recently vacated shop on Main Street seems to make sense: Another mom-and-pop pharmacy put out of business, a victim to tough competition posed by chain pharmacies.

But the truth is actually a bit brighter.

The Kresge-Lebar Pharmacy, which has been around in one form or another for almost 170 years, actually didn't go out of business.

It was bought by a privately owned pharmaceutical compounding company in Stroud Township, which will continue to serve the pharmacy's large client base.

Though the Kresge-Lebar name, which is actually two separate names representing two totally separate families, will no longer be used, the same kind of small-town service, with an emphasis on customer care, will continue.

"(The old store) was a nice place and we're going to keep alive what was best about it here," said Michael Chikwanha, who recently bought the Kresge-Lebar Pharmacy and who also owns the compounding company in Stroud Township, Stroud Compounding.

Indeed, the Kresge-Lebar Pharmacy was nice. It was also located in a historical building on Main Street, the Wallace Building. But the pharmacy's history goes back even further than the historical building that housed it.

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Stroudsburg pharmacy closes, but not for long