ROCHESTER, N.Y. – A new walk-in pharmacy run by Highland Hospital is open on Genesee Street in Rochester’s 19th Ward, providing much-needed access in a community that lost a retail pharmacy in 2022 and will lose another one in the very near future.

As News10NBC has been reporting, Walgreens will close its location on West Main Street soon and it previously closed another store on Thurston Road.

“I think really, there was a need in the community and this is also a great location, easy access for patients, ample parking, ability to walk in, there’s an RTS bus line across the street, we have some UR staffing right next to us, we have the college campus right across here — so really great access for the people of the community,” says Danielle Webster, the Assistant Director of Ambulatory Pharmacy at Highland Hospital.

Selena Meeks, a resident who recently started using the new pharmacy, expressed her appreciation for its convenience. “It’s very helpful because it’s new, it’s close and it’s never been right here,” Meeks says. “People could hop on the bus right here and take is straight down here and go right back, so it’s very convenient.”

The pharmacy is open to anyone, regardless of their healthcare provider or where they receive care. “I think we can provide a lot of services and touch points that maybe other retail pharmacies cannot provide — we have free home delivery for patients, we offer synchronization, so patients can get all their medications on the same schedule,” Webster says.

While Highland Hospital has quickly established this pharmacy to meet the community’s needs, Rochester Regional Health is also expanding access to its pharmacy inside St. Mary’s. They are currently able to receive prescription transfers from anyone using the Walgreens on West Main Street, which is set to close.