Name of Owner: Kathy Korgialas
Name of Business: Pharmakolojie
Address: 30-91 31st Street
Hours: 9 a.m to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, closed on Sundays
Phone: 718-626-4600
Website: www.pharmakolojie.com
How did you get into business?
Korgialas has always been interested in medicine, but she also has a strong commitment to her family. “After getting my Bachelor’s in psychology from N.Y.U., I decided that being a physician would put a strain on spending quality time at home with my family,” she said. When the dermatologist she was working for at the time suggested pharmacy school, Korgialas was hesitant at first, and then decided to try it for a semester and wound up loving it. “Being a pharmacist is not just about counting pills,” she said.
What do you do?
Korgialas described her role in the business as very hands on. “When a patient comes into our store, it’s because they need to see us, speak to us and get our help. I do what I can to keep my patients healthy and happy, so that the next time they stop by, it’s just to say, ‘Good day,’” she said. “We have truly created an eclectic, European-style neighborhood pharmacy.”
What is special about your business?
“Pharmakolojie was created with the early 1900s pharmacy in mind - where an apothecary was the norm, the pharmacist was the “chemist,” and we actually lived and breathed the art of pharmacology,” Korgialas said. “When you walk into our pharmacy, you’re not walking into your everyday – or at least today’s – pharmacy. You come across the ‘chemist’ that can make any special dosage form prescription required by a doctor.” Korgialas described the antique look of the store, spa-like aromas, soothing music, friendly karma and complimentary chocolates/candy, all of which contribute to the overall atmosphere that awakens all of your five senses.
What is your business motto?
“We offer personalized service for each and every one of our patients, and we try to get to know them by first name and empathize with all, as we understand that our paths have crossed not for the mere act of shopping but rather because they need to get better,” Korgialas said. “That’s why we make their visit as effortless and painless as possible.”
