Staff, name and service will be the same

Cornerstone Apothecary has announced that their three locations in Van Horne, Marengo and Belle Plaine will have new owners as of July 1, 2022.

The new owner of the pharmacy is Towncrest Pharmacy from Iowa City which includes Randy McDonough, Mike Deninger, Kelly Kent, and Aaron McDonough. They own a small group of independent pharmacies.

Though there is a new owner, the name of pharmacy, employees and service will remain the same.

Current owner Beth Hoopes said in her letter to customers, “Cornerstone has been so proud to serve our communities in Van Horne, Marengo, and Belle Plaine. We opened our first location in Van Horne in 2007, and our second in Marengo in 2009. Despite many skeptics, we grew our businesses and decided to add a third one in Belle Plaine in 2012. Along with both of my past business partners, Sara Hoskins and Jennica Yatskis, we built pharmacies where people felt comfortable walking into, and we grew our staff into a group of like-minded people who might as well be family.”

The Hoopes family moved from Van Horne to Letts (south of Muscatine) in 2016 to live on the family farm. It was also at this time that Beth became the sole owner of Cornerstone.

Hoopes noted, “Lately it has proven to be more difficult, and my business has outgrown me as a single owner. I contacted the Towncrest Pharmacy owners specifically because I knew they had the same core values as I did as a pharmacy owner. It is critical to keep independent pharmacies alive, and Towncrest does a phenomenal job of it. Not only do they own Towncrest Pharmacy in Iowa City, they also own Solon Towncrest Pharmacy, Bennett Pharmacy in New Hampton, and very recently opened a brand new business, Towncrest Wellness Apothecary in Iowa City.”

She also observed, “There will be a few small changes here and there, but mostly, things will be exactly the same. Cornerstone Apothecary will still be our name, and our fantastic staff will also be here to help you every step of the way. I will stay on board as a staff pharmacist, primarily at our Van Horne location, just like before. We will continue to provide the same services as before, but we are also very excited to add on some new products and clinical services. Our new owners are very forward-thinking people, and I can’t wait to see what they do to improve our communities.”

One of the new owners, Kelly Kent, said, “Towncrest Pharmacy is excited to have the opportunity to work with Beth during this transition of ownership. We look forward to continuing to serve Cornerstone Apothecary patients and looking for new ways to enhance the care provided. Towncrest Pharmacy has a passion for independent community pharmacy and takes pride in being a national leader in innovative pharmacy practices. We are proud to be a part of these communities and look forward to the future!”

Hoopes concluded, “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to serve your communities for these past 15 years as an owner of Cornerstone Apothecary. I can’t wait to see how these pharmacies continue to thrive in our small towns!”