What started as a single prescription filled on Oct. 30, 1986, has grown into 40 years of caring, innovation and community impact that continues to define our pharmacy today.

On that historic day, the Publix Pharmacy began inside a new store in Altamonte Springs, Florida, and filled the very first prescription for Mr. George, who attended the grand opening. That moment marked the start of a new way to care for our customers.

“Over the past 40 years, we’ve evolved through technology and expanded services, while staying true to our commitment to support our customers’ well-being,” said Vice President of Pharmacy Katie Scanlon. “Our strong legacy and stability allow our associates to grow their careers, while we continue to innovate and adapt to meet the changing needs of our customers.”

There have been plenty of innovations over the past 4 decades to keep our promise to provide premier service to our customers. In 2002, customers could order prescription refills online for the first time, making visits to the pharmacy easier and faster.

We invested in the pharmacy warehouse in 2005 and expanded to a new facility in 2015 to ensure we have a consistent supply of medication to meet the needs of our customers. We also opened a central fill pharmacy in Orlando, Florida, in 2015 to improve patient care while also enhancing the efficiency of filling prescriptions. A second facility opened in St. Johns, Florida, this year that will eventually support each state we operate in.

In 2017, the Publix Pharmacy app launched, giving customers easy access to their prescriptions. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 accelerated innovation, and we expanded our services to meet new challenges by offering prescription delivery, curbside service and a digital vaccine appointment scheduler.

Today, our pharmacy continues to look ahead by introducing new services, such as virtual care and the Discount Finder — innovations that grow access to care, reduce costs and position Publix Pharmacy to lead customers into the future of healthcare.