Session Lessons

Lori Krukowski and Cathy Roberts know a good idea when they hear one.

In 2004, Krukowski, general manager of Tunkhannock, Pa.-based Lech's Pharmacy, and Roberts, manager of the durable medical equipment segment of the business, attended a Medtrade seminar about designing a retail showroom.

It struck a chord with the Lech's employees. For some time, they had thought about what to do with the small HME showroom attached to the rural pharmacy. HME was a profitable niche for the 20-year-old business. But the only showroom among the company's five branches in northeast Pennsylvania was small and did not allow for much product display.

“We had 1,600 square feet just about evenly split between the pharmacy and DME,” says Krukowski. “It was very cramped.”

“Very, very!” stresses Roberts.

Still, the HME business was profitable. Should they really take on the cost and inconvenience of an expansion? The answer came at the seminar, presented by consultants Jack Evans of Global Media Marketing and Ed Lemar of Gladson Store Design.

“One thing [we learned] was that if you don't show it, you can't sell it. Right after the seminar, we looked at each other and said, ‘We've got to go home and do this,’” remembers Krukowski.

Their decision has paid off. Krukowski and Roberts say the HME business has expanded — and so has the number of customers. Even the pharmacy's business has grown, they say.

“It's been a win-win situation everywhere,” according to Roberts.

Not that it was inexpensive (“a significant investment” is how Krukowski puts it) or without difficulties. With an eye toward competitive bidding, Lech's was beginning the accreditation process, was incorporating and also upgrading its computer system. The latter involved transferring huge amounts of data.

“Had we not incorporated at the same time as all this other stuff, I don't think it would have been quite as hard,” says Krukowski.

Still, after hearing the design presentation, expansion seemed the right thing to do. Coincidentally, a space a few doors down from the pharmacy was for rent. The former pool-and-spa store “even had the racetrack layout,” says Krukowski, referring to a flooring design using linoleum and carpeting that allows customers to try out wheelchairs.

“We lucked into it,” says Krukowski. “It was two doors down, the same parking lot. This was a no-brainer. If we'd actually had to move out of this facility, I think we'd really have [had] to consider where to go.”