Judy Kramer
County Reporter
Mike Snell and wife Tammy have been owners of the Cole Camp Pharmacy for 25 years. On February 6, they moved the business from 106 South Maple Street to 512 West Main Street where it has more indoor space, parking spots and a new drive-thru window. The independent pharmacy not only serves neighbors with their commercial medication needs, but also provides certain custom mixtures requested by physicians. It also has many medications used by a couple of local long-term care facilities.
“We still own the old building at 106 South Maple Street,” said Snell. “I have things remaining there, but we have several interested buyers and will sell it to a Cole Camp business. The building is old. I believe it was first a bank in 1911, and then a retail store, office, and other businesses. There was no pharmacy in town for 30 years before we opened our place in 1998.”
Snell said that the pharmacy has 12 employees including relief pharmacists who come in on his days off. Steve Mills is one of these pharmacists who has been relieving Snell for 15 years.
“We have a star staff of 12,” said Snell. “They are a dedicated group and I am fortunate to be surrounded by them. They are more like family than employees.”
Snell and his wife grew up in Kansas City. He went to the KU Pharmacy School graduating in 1990. Then, he worked for Walmart about seven years before venturing off and opening the Cole Camp Pharmacy.
“As I was growing up, science, medicine and working with people were things I enjoyed,” said Snell. “Pharmacy provides a good mix of all those things every day.”
Snell said that there have been times over the years when people have come into the pharmacy who might have required hospitalization and he has done quick blood pressures or tested for blood sugar levels. He called for an ambulance when it was deemed necessary. He said that people have fallen on the sidewalk or street and he and his employees tended to them if they needed immediate care.
“We are accessible and that is a good thing,” said Snell. “But I can’t stitch them up or put on a cast.”
He said that being an independent pharmacy has challenges, especially since insurance companies like to deal with the big chain pharmacies. He said that they sometimes struggle to be in the chain, but that they will survive and will sometimes change with the times. Snell said that if there is a need they will be here.
