Bel Air Pharmacy

Updated Nov 16, 2014:
I spoke with a manager at the store who patiently explained that work rules require the pharmacy to close for ½ hour while the one pharmacist on duty goes on break. While I appreciate knowing that the event that prompted my review was not some passive-​aggressive outburst directed at me, I am sticking with my one-​star review. When a business advertises a walk-​in service not requiring a reservation or appointment, it shouldn’t be up to the customer to learn and memorize the hours of its employees’ breaks. My bad luck, two years in a row, for arriving just as the pharmacist was starting on break, translates to the pharmacy’s bad luck in getting a one-​start rating. Perhaps someone who had a better experience will step up with a higher rating, to even things out?
Original review:
On a recommendation, I tried the Bel Air Pharmacy on Arena Blvd one evening last year for my annual flu shot. The pharmacy was busy and I was asked to wait because the person giving flu shots was on break. After 30 mins I got my flu shot and left.
Today (Wednesday Nov 12^th) I stopped by at 1 PM. Thankfully the pharmacy was wide open — no waiting! There were 3 employees behind the counter and I was the only customer. When I said that I was there for a flu shot, I was told that they were going on break and I’d have to come back.
I protested: You’re kidding, this is supposed to be walk up. I had to wait last year when you were busy. Now I’m the only customer here — why should I have to wait?” The female pharmacist asked if I minded coming back. I said that I did mind. Then she said, «We’re closing,» and turned the lights off at 1 PM on a Wednesday!
What gives with Bel Air’s pharmacy employees’ prima dona attitudes — or are they passive aggressive? I won’t be making any more wasted trips to this Bel Air Pharmacy for my flu shot.

I have to say, the people here are not the epitome of professional at all. I went to them recently needing to get prescriptions that my dermatologist gave me for some problems I’ve been having. I went there the first day having had my doctor wire the prescription to them electronically. They told me that they needed to verify that the doctor knows I’m allergic to tetracycline since my records show that the prescription I’ve been given is of that family. My doctors knows, I know, we’ve had this conversation before she assigned the medication to me, and I was told that she called the pharmacy about it prior to me going there in person. Well, the pharmacists there obviously didn’t get the message and said they had to get in touch with the doctor to verify the info and to have her correct the prescription since I was mistakenly given the generic one. I was upset but fine with that.
I come in the next day to get a facial cream that I needed, as I had been told to come in anyway to get the other half of my prescription by an older gentleman since it would be ready. When I arrived, the blonde came up to me and said they’re still waiting to hear from the doctor and that the prescription hasn’t been corrected yet. She seemed unsure of even that when she started talking about the brand name. Another woman behind her then asked «Do you know if you’re good for the doxycycline? It’s similar to tetracycline.»…a question they had 24 hours to resolve with my doctor, as they PROMISED they would take care of! So I called my doctor’s office and asked them to call and clarify both issues. The receptionist told me that they called the pharmacy 2 hours prior to me calling and they thought they already had the confusion taken care of. Obviously NOT. After I got off the phone, the blonde made some angry remarks at me because I was trying to correct the issue so I can get my freaking medicine! The other pharmacist talked to my doctor over the phone and was loudly belittling me and told them they didn’t know why I called and that I’m an irate person who doesn’t know what they’re talking about. Unbelievable.
They have no real grasp on the concept of customer service. I highly recommend finding another pharmacy to suit your needs because these ones do not embody professionalism in the slightest manner. You’ll deal with nothing but haughty Sacramento super stars at this Bel Air pharmacy.