Jared Nekos

Nekos-Dedrick’s Pharmacy, Dedrick’s Pharmacy and Hazard’s Pharmacy

You independently own a few pharmacies in the state. Which pharmacies? 

Dedrick’s Pharmacy in New Paltz, I bought in 2018. Nekos-Dedrick’s in Kingston was owned by my uncle. We just bought that from him in February. And then we also own Hazard’s Pharmacy in Cornwall, New York.

What inspired you to become a pharmacist and ultimately work for yourself?

Being a pharmacist in the community is an honor and something I value and I really, really cherish. My family’s done it for a long time. I’m a fourth-generation business owner and 3rd generation pharmacist.

My father was not a pharmacist, but my father did own a small business. Growing up, we had restaurants in our Greek family. We had that classic lunch counter with the pharmacy in the back. That was in the 1950s. And then that lasted into the 90s when things got a little more complicated.

Two independents merged. That’s how Nekos-Dedrick’s came about. The motivation for me came from watching my family growing up and seeing the relationship with the community. And being a pharmacist has a lot of stability and longevity and a real opportunity to serve your community in a really great way.

What is something unexpected that you’ve learned since taking over?

Honestly, just how much I enjoy it. There’s something very special about helping people in their time of need and using your skill set, your knowledge base to help. And it’s not just short-term either. Sometimes it’s an ongoing process. We have certain customers who are like family now, and it may have started with a simple interaction, and now many years later, I’m still asking how they’re doing, how their condition. It was a surprise that I was surprised at how gratifying it can be to serve your community in this capacity.

What is the importance of locally owned, independent pharmacies in our communities?

The local independent, whether it’s a local independent practitioner in the doctor’s office or the pharmacy, is really important. We get to take the time, practice the profession as we deem to be fit as opposed to the way corporate demands, and to be there for your community in these times. That’s what we experience every day. People come in and it’s such a such a reprieve for them – to be treated on a human level. We know their name, you know, all those older sort of expressions on why you go to an independent. They know your name; the owner’s name is on the wall; they care about you.

It’s such a reprieve for people to come in and feel witnessed, whether it’s scheduling a doctor’s appointment or anybody dealing with real health challenges. We’re very grateful that we get to provide a service to these people who are greatly appreciated.

Accessibility of pharmacies is one of the things that’s most important. No profession is more accessible. If you have a highly trained pharmacist on staff, you can walk up to the window and get a free consultation. Where else can that happen? It happens all day long because that’s our business model – service first. It’s patient first. We put our people, both the pharmacy technicians and our pharmacists, in a position to succeed. They get the opportunity to stop what they’re doing, walk over to the window, pick up a phone, and spend a decent amount of time with a patient who needs advice, consultation, and help. That’s not true across the board. But in the independent sector, it’s largely true across the board.

What questions can you answer as a pharmacist, and when do you have to refer your patient to their doctor?

The general rule is we don’t diagnose, but we can advise. We can always triage. We can ask what your symptoms are. What are you experiencing? What have you tried? What are your medication lists? We have to look out for interactions and health conditions that might be exacerbated by recommendations.. There’s a lot that we can do. And so everything from a simple recommendation on a cold to much larger, comorbidities and conditions where there are points and times where we say you’re going to have to go talk to your doctor about that. And then come back to us and we’ll go over the medication. Obviously, we are the medicine experts and we expand beyond the medicine. We try to incorporate lifestyle and a holistic view of how to approach your health. We know that in today’s era, a magic pill doesn’t really exist. A combination of good medication, sometimes lifestyle changes, and sometimes just a holistic approach will really produce the health outcomes that we want.

What’s the most rewarding part of your work?

We see the whole circle of life and the different stages. And obviously there’s different vulnerabilities depending on it. New parents, that’s a scary phase for a lot of people to try to provide a recommendation or consultation with confidence. And then as you get to the elderly and the different needs that they have. The concept of keeping people independent longer is a very important concept. So there are services such as medicine at home. And to just help them navigate the challenges of the healthcare landscape. It’s something we all cherish here. And that’s why I think that’s why we’re a successful business, because everything I’m saying, other people believe too. We have a shared mindset as far as approach and importance and significance, and that all leads to really good results.

Do you have any specific goals or hopes for the future of your pharmacies? 

As I look towards the future, obviously sustainability and longevity for all the businesses, but also for the industry in general. There’s a lot of movement on Capitol Hill, both on state and federal levels. And we’re really hoping that the playing field gets leveled a little bit. The reimbursement model, even the scope of practice, that they start to regard pharmacists in a manner that will produce longevity for the industry. We think that communities deserve their independent pharmacies. If we can help them navigate their health challenges. And if I can be a part of that solution, that’s awesome.

July 2026