Christmas comes early to Whelehans Pharmacy

Whelehans Pharmacy Christmas customer appreciation night

On Thursday November 28, Whelehans Pharmacy held a Christmas Customer Appreciation night at the Pearse Street store.

Established in 1898, Whelehans Pharmacy marked 125 years in continual business in 2023, and a significant development came when pharmacist Eamonn Brady, who had worked there as supervising pharmacist since 2002, bought it.

In addition to medicines, in beauty Whelehans sell likes of Chanel fragrance and Elizabeth Arden Cosmetics. “We introduced innovations to stand out from competitors, and a refit in 2014 included therapy rooms to extend into other health, beauty, and wellbeing – making us more than just a retail destination, but a destination for all your health and beauty needs,” said Eamonn.

“We opened a second large warehouse pharmacy in Clonmore, Mullingar in 2017 to serve the Irish nursing home market from a central hub, giving the business space to grow. Originally, we served nursing homes from Pearse Street, Mullingar, but the business outgrew that premises.”

The new premises facilitated expansion of the nursing home business from 500 patients in 2017 to 1600 in 2024.

Whelehans Clonmore uses a Synmed® robot to dispense big volumes of medicines safely and efficiently in easy to use blister packs.

Whelehans Clonmore also offers the convenience of free parking and an expert team of front of shop staff, pharmacy technicians and pharmacists.

More than a pharmacy

The Whelehans teams are known for additional services that include, prescription home delivery (from both stores), ear wax removal, audiology (hearing test) service, health screening services, Covid and flu vaccine clinics.

There is also a chiropody service, a chartered physiotherapy service with Kevin Darcy, MISCP, who operates 1st Contact Physio from Pearse Street, alongside beautician and nail specialists Caroline and Shelly of ‘Essence of Beauty’, also located on the first floor (Shelly and Caroline are more than 20 years in business in Mullingar).

There is also a reflexology and massage service run by Sarah and Declen of ‘Avoca Wellness’ in the tranquillity of the second floor therapy room at the Pearse Street building.

Caroline and Shelly from Essence of Beauty and nurse Sarah Totney (Whelehans ear wax removal clinic) also joined staff and customers at the appreciation night to promote the services they offer at the Whelehans premises.

Customer service

Customer service is the number one goal at Whelehans and each member of staff goes above and beyond to help everyone that enters the pharmacy, starting with the Whelehans Pearse street store manager, Deirdre Fitzgerald. Her warmth and smile drive draw people into the pharmacy on a daily basis.

The proprietor, Eamonn Brady is known for his advice, quick humour and hard work ethic, evident in how the business has grown in a tough environment for traditional high street retail.

“The personal touch is key, something you cannot always get online and chain stores,” said Eamonn.

Eamonn also writes healthcare advice articles in the local newspapers.

The teams at Whelehans offer a personal and professional and discreet dispensing and advice service, led at the Pearse Street Whelehans by supervising pharmacist Breda Heneghan, assisted by a team of pharmacy technicians, OTC advisers and beauty experts.

Their customer appreciation evening highlighted the array of non-pharmacy services available at Whelehans, and included discounts, Christmas goodie bags, refreshments and a chance to win an Elizabeth Arden hamper worth €500.

The turnout was fantastic, the atmosphere was buzzing, and laughs and chatter could be heard along the street. Christmas had come early customers also enjoyed season music and danced and sang with staff.