| The History of El Dorado TrueCare |
First opened in 1970, El Dorado TrueCare Pharmacy was originally known as McCartney Rx Shop. The pharmacy's first owner was William E. McCartney, and it was initially located at 129 E. 1st Ave., across the street from its current location. William owned and operated the pharmacy until 1982, when it was purchased by current owner Mike Bellesine.
When Mike first purchased the pharmacy, there were seven other drug stores in El Dorado - six independently owned and one chain. As time progressed, more chain pharmacies moved into town and the other independents slowly went out of business. McCartney Rx Shop, however, only continued to grow.
In 1992, Mike bought Grave's Drug Store, the last of these other independent pharmacies. In 2000, Mike changed the name to El Dorado TrueCare Pharmacy in order to reflect the expanded services, such as specialized compounding and home medical equipment, which they had started to offer. Today, TrueCare is both the oldest and the only home-owned pharmacy currently in El Dorado. |
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Over the years, El Dorado TrueCare Pharmacy's facilities have undergone drastic changes. The pharmacy was originally located in the 800 square foot building at 129 E. 1st Ave. (on the southwest corner of 1st Ave. and Vine St.). As business continued to increase over the years, however, it became apparent that larger facilities were a necessity. In 2002, Mike teamed up with Drs. Greg and Roger Joyce to create the Vine Street Medical Plaza, on the northwest corner of 1st Ave. and Vine St. This complex houses both Joyce and Joyce Optometry and El Dorado TrueCare Pharmacy. Constructing the new building allowed the pharmacy to expand considerably to its current size of 5,000 square feet (with an additional 5,000 square feet of storage space).
As TrueCare has grown, so has its number of employees. When Mike first purchased the pharmacy in 1982, he had one full-time employee and one part-time employee. In addition, Mr. McCartney told Mike that he would stick around and help for about six months. Those six months ended up turning into 25 years, as Mr. McCartney steadily worked at TrueCare on a part-time basis up until his death in 2007. From delivery drivers and clerks to technicians and pharmacists, the number of other employees at the pharmacy has increased dramatically over the years. Presently, the pharmacy is staffed by approximately twenty employees. In 2005, Mike hired two new pharmacists - Jennifer Clausing, who had previously worked at Dillon's in El Dorado, and Jake Milbradt, who had previously worked at Wal-Mart in El Dorado. In 2009, Dan Davis joined El Dorado TrueCare as a pharmacist. They sometimes joke that, between the four of them, they've filled at least one prescription for everyone living in the surrounding area. |
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