NORFOLK — Just a little over a year after a beloved Ghent pharmacy closed, another longtime Norfolk independent pharmacy is shutting its doors, according to the building owner. MacArthur Pharmacy, which has served downtown Norfolk residents for more than 23 years, will close later this month, said landlord and Norfolk developer Bobby Wright. “They’re family and good friends,” Wright said.
“And so downtown will definitely miss that service of getting their prescriptions more easily.” In its place, Wright plans to open a general store and mini-grocery store, serving up meat, eggs and other food to downtown residents. The closure will leave downtown Norfolk — now an area of around 6,500 residents, according to the Downtown Norfolk Council — without a nearby pharmacy.
Pharmacy co-owners Chris Lawrence and David Bass Jr. opened the business on Nov. 1, 2000.
According to previous Virginian-Pilot reporting , Lawrence grew up in his father’s pharmacy, Lawrence Pharmacy in Chesapeake. Bass and Lawrence are also best friends since kindergarten and delivered papers together when they were 16. Neither co-owner responded to repeated attempts for comment.
Wright also declined to say why the pharmacy was closing. Wright said all prescriptions would be transferred to the Rite Aid located at 525 W. 21st St.
in Ghent. The pharmacy’s last day of business would be around next Friday, Wright added. Shortly after the pharmacy closes, Wright said he plans to convert the space in.
