Keyes Drug

This is a wonderful pharmacy. They know their customers/​patients, offer caring, personalized service, and offer compounding for pets or people who need alternative forms of a medication (flavored liquid, transdermal, etc). I can call Keyes and speak with a pharmacist who knows who I am. They will special order whatever you need and go the extra mile to help.
It is really important to support independent, locally-​owned pharmacies. They are becoming a vanishing breed. The more people go to big chain or mail order pharmacies, the more independent pharmacies go out of business. Big chains/​mail order are simply unable to offer the kind of personalized care that patients need. It may not seem important for a simple amoxocillin prescription, but if you or a loved one are ever really sick, a local pharmacist who knows you becomes a very important person in your life.

I love love love this pharmacy! It really has the friendly, personalized, home town feel– the efficiency and friendliness are amazing. I have, on more than one occasion, been able to pick up my prescription within 15 minutes of it being called in! Usually at the big chain stores waiting on the line alone is 15 minutes! Ruth, one of the head pharmacists, I believe is AWESOME! She has been helpful and informative about adjunct medical therapies as well that have helped me above and beyond what my own doctor had first recommended. This is really what I call a full service pharmacy!

A great local business, with really nice staff… especially the pharmacist!
They go out of their way to be friendly, and remember you and greet you every visit. They are a bit more pricey since they’re not CVS, Walmart but I like the personal attention and warmth of the staff.

Keyes rocks! I recently switched to them from that odious hellmouth that is the West Newton CVS and it was like the sun coming out after a long, rainy week. Why did things have to be so difficult at the old pharmacy? It’s so easy here.
I was sick recently and needed a prescription from the doctor, and was dreading having to deal with CVS when I was feeling so lousy. My landlord handed me a business card from Keyes that morning, so I had the doc fax the prescription over to them. It was late afternoon — which at CVS means hours of waiting, repeated phone calls, a clerk yelling «It’s not done yet! Why can’t you get it tomorrow!»
So walking out of the doctor’s office I dialed Keyes with some trepidation. But the service line was immediately picked up by a kind, polite person! Could it be true? I asked if they had received the fax yet, and without missing a beat the reply: «Of course — we’re filling it now. Just bring your insurance info with you though.» Get this: she didn’t even ask my name … she just knew. (Well — I also made sure to confirm that it was indeed, my prescription, but still — psychic, man.)
When I got there — 2 hours later thanks to traffic — she was still there, my prescription was ready, and it took all of 30 seconds to get my insurance info updated. We even talked for about 5 minutes, mostly about the medicine, but also just chatting. Two other pharmacists were also there, handling customers, and it was just a relaxed affair.
So, a really good neighborhood pharmacy with excellent service. They do compounding, which I’ve never needed but which my mom thinks is most excellent and rare. They have a whole rack of Boiron homeopathic products (more than CVS has).
So – if you’re still using the West Newton CVS — get the hell out of there and move to Keyes instead. Seriously. Get the hell out of there, man.

I was house sitting for my Sister-in-law’s mother who was in hospice care at home. She ran out of medicine, I went to Keyes Drug, they knew who she was, they gave me the medicine, said that my sister-​in-​law was well known to them and they would call her up after the weekend about the cost. I was so grateful I could have cried.
We do not find that prescription costs are more that the big guys, but some of the other stuff is. However, a trick I learned from a friend: Even though they cost a little more for some things (CVS and Walgreen’s have fooled me on their sporadic high price on every 10^th item). I find I spend less overall because they are a real drug store and I am never tempted to spend $ 30.00 on christmas lights or $ 25.00 halloween junk. So at the end of the year when I add up what I spend here, I have spent less that I would have if I had been at big guy. But that’s just me.

It’s friendly and welcoming, definitely more so than your average CVS or Walgreens. However, items there are often very expensive. I had switched my prescriptions from the awful West Newton CVS to Keyes, and at the time my insurance didn’t cover the medication I was on. It was only about $ 25 without a prescription at CVS, and it was $ 50 at Keyes. The over-​the-​counter stuff is sort of pricey, too.
I’d love to support a small business, especially when they’re so much nicer than the people at the nearby CVS, but my pocketbook won’t allow it.

Wonderful, friendly staff! Several days ago, I stopped in to buy some items for a family member. A wonderfully friendly clerk met me at the counter to take the money and give me the change. However, I failed to ask for a receipt. Unfortunately, the family member for whom I purchased the items didn’t understand the directions on the package and told me to return the items. The clerk from whom I had bought the items willingly took them back, even though I had no receipt! That, plus the fact that he was such a likable person from the very start, gave me a first impression that probably will never go away.

Some good things, some «meh,» things about Keyes Drug. I’ll start by saying I like Keyes for a lot of things. It’s a small local drugstore that offers personalized attention to its customers and can offer the time to help with their drug and other needs. With a selection of medical supplies it’s very good for people who’re just coming off of an operation or injury. There is always enough staff here to make sure customers receive the attention they need without being rushed and that’s good. A big plus is the newspaper selection… generally I visit on Saturdays when I can get my weekend editions of the Wall Street Journal, Investor’s Business Daily or the Financial Times. I’d go here if only for the availability of the FT.
Keyes offers the basics but not a lot more. As a single operation only loosely affiliated with other pharmacies it doesn’t have the buying power of a larger chain. Food items are not at a premium here and many of the larger national brands aren’t in evidence on the shelves. It’s not a supermarket or convenience store, it’s a drug store, and while that is good for the basics, it’s not helpful for more extensive shopping. Still, for a local drugstore that offers a lot in the way of customer service Keyes is pretty good.