Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Justin Redding.
Dr. Redding, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have a PharmD (Doctor of Pharmacy) degree and worked as a pharmacist in various practice settings before opening Mo City Apothecary. My favorite part of being a pharmacist is direct patient counseling, where I can encourage healthy lifestyle modifications in addition to proper medication use. I have always had a passion for food and using it as medicine, this includes herbs, oils, essential oils, teas. As a pharmacist, I need to know how these herbs and oils will interact with a prescription or nonprescription medication a person may also be taking. Pharmacists have limited time to cover all of this with our patients due to strict requirements from employers, insurance companies, and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), so people seek this information from less reliable sources.
I come from a family of entrepreneurs and always saw myself going off on my own one day to incorporate all of my skills and passions into my ideal job in the best way that serves my community. The opportunity came one day when the pharmacist contract job I was working abruptly ended and 12 pharmacists were let go with no notice when we were expecting another 1-3 months on the job and possible being hired full time (but PBMs are a whole other story).
As I mentioned, I come from a family of entrepreneurs. My parents recently built a new shopping center in Missouri City which was quickly filling up and had two vacant units remaining. We used my recent unemployment as a catalyst to jump all in to get getting the shop started. CBD was in the news every day, but very few pharmacists were being educated on it. Over the years, I had been following cannabis research and now I can share what I know through the products and services at Mo City Apothecary. I work with my mother to produce our handmade soaps and hair & skin products using the best organic butters, herbs and oils. We opened in June 2019 and recently celebrated one year of health fairs, community events, herbal & medication counseling, and the best products in town with the benefit of a friendly pharmacist.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has not been smooth. A roller coaster with its ups, downs and loops. I initially used my experience in Smoking Cessation counseling to promote vaping as a controlled form of nicotine replacement. It was working very well and patients came in regularly to check-in. We had to adjust after health concerns in the news and laws increasing the smoking age to 21.
Another struggle has been with banking and payment processing. Due to federal law on cannabis, banks consider this a high-risk business and we had to shop around to find a bank and payment processor that would allow sale of hemp-based CBD products. We were briefly kicked off of our original payment processor for four months while they reconfigured and launched a new plan for CBD businesses that allowed us to resume use, only now paying a higher processing fee than non-CBD businesses.
Promoting the business has been a struggle. Social media platforms have rules on CBD products, herbs and supplements. Local rules prohibiting banners and other signs forced us to be creative with marketing.
Inhalation is the fastest way to absorb cannabinoids and many smokes or vape CBD because they need quick relief. Effective in August, I am not allowed to sell CBD vape products or pre-rolled hemp. This is an inconvenience to the business and the customers who rely on these products for relief.
There is of course, the biggest struggle in recent history, COVID-19. We began offering curbside options and shipping through our online store and increasing our selection of products and services people need to manage stress and promote a healthy immune system.
Mo City Apothecary – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Mo City Apothecary has the best quality herbs, oils, and supplements with the support of an experienced pharmacist to guide you on dosing, appropriate use, drug interactions, and adverse effects. You will not get this service at your average herb shop. We have handmade soaps and hair & skin products using the best organic butters, herbs and oils. We serve the community through yoga classes, health fairs, webinars, community events, herbal & medication counseling. We are best know for our specialty teas, high quality and wide selection CBD products from creams to pet treats, and for having a pharmacist here to counsel you.
I’m most proud of our ability to adapt to all of the changes and our holistic offering of products & services – consultation from a pharmacist who also teaches yoga, quality herbs and oils, aromatherapy and natural handmade products for hair & skin, plus information through brochures, videos and workshops.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
My proudest moments have been the Grand Opening and the recent one year Anniversary. Starting something new, persevering through struggles and changes, and adapting during a pandemic as someone essential to the health, wellness and education of the community makes me proud every day.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3708 McHard Rd, Suite F. Missouri City, Texas 77489
- Website: www.mocityapothecary.com; shop.mocityapothecary.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mocityapothecary/
- Facebook: Facebook.com/mocityapothecary
- Other: Mo City Apothecary YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCsCD0xbrWKPca5J-SnLzaA?reload=9
Image Credit:
Justin Redding
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