In 2005, the storm surge from Hurricane Rita wiped out Delcambre’s pharmacy, the lifeblood of the community – along with other businesses and homes. It was two years before the city was able to have another drugstore, but in 2008 pharmacists Brennon and Susan LeBlanc opened the much-welcomed Delcambre Pharmacy.
Today, it remains the only pharmacy in Delcambre and maintains customers that have been there from the start. As Brennon recalls, “We were still building the pharmacy when a well-known community member came knocking on the door. He said ‘I got two questions: Will you match the same generic prices as Super One, and will you give me good service?’ I said, ‘Yes,’ and he transferred his services to us and remained a customer til the day he passed.”
The LeBlancs take great pride in providing medications to the residents and those nearby, along with offering immunizations, including the COVID vaccine, and delivering to those who are not able to pick up their meds. But they do more than that. “We offer a lot of advice – even if customers don’t ask for it,” smiles Brennon. “We do patient counseling and answer questions about how to take medications and educate them on drug interactions, which was especially important during the pandemic.”
As advocates for their customers, Brennon and Susan have been dealing with insurance companies that dictate where patients can get their medications filled. “We’re constantly battling that so local patients can continue taking advantage of the convenience of our services,” stresses Brennon. The couple also works with the legislature to try and help independent pharmacies, like theirs, obtain better reimbursement, consequently helping patients with better clinical outcomes, especially in the case of chronic illnesses such as diabetes.
Delcambre Pharmacy also provides a great variety of items in the gift shop, from jewelry and home décor to fashion items and cookbooks. “Susan shops for things specific to the Delcambre culture as well, including the shrimp festival and local schools,” notes Brennon. “She’ll be going to market in June, so customers can expect new things for fall.”
In the community, the pharmacy sponsors, attends and provides patient education at events. After Hurricane Ike, Delcambre Pharmacy distributed over 1,000 plate lunches and 5,000 gallons of bleach to residents in the community.
Still today, the pharmacy is a popular place where regulars, like local police, drop in to chat. “All of our employees are local people and they take pride in interacting with customers,” says Brennon. “We take tremendous pride in providing stability and a great service to the community.”
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