Ten years ago, Jen Palazzolo grew tired of working in corporate pharmacies and wanted to return to an independently owned pharmacy. She researched the area and stumbled upon a vacant unit at 603 Ken Pratt Blvd. It was the perfect place to start her dream.
Palazzolo opened the doors as the only person working in the pharmacy. Within six months she hired three more staff members. She quickly learned that she had to find a way for her pharmacy to stand out from others in the area.
Palazzolo decided to build a family wellness center in addition to selling and distributing prescription medications. She learned that compounding was the solution she was looking for.
Compounding is the preparation, mixing, assembling, packaging and labeling of prescription drugs. This method works best to create medications that fit the patient — both animals and humans.
When Palazzolo began compounding, she primarily worked with local veterinary offices. Today Flatirons Family Pharmacy is the remaining compounding pharmacy in Boulder County, Palazzolo said.
“Giving people a customized dose based on labs is much better than picking a ‘close enough’ dose of something that is available on the shelf,” Palazzolo said.
Palazzolo has built a business that focuses on the customer and their wellness journey. In recent years, the pharmacy hired Rodney Diffendaffer as a functional medicine practitioner.
Diffendaffer takes the time to understand patients’ medical journeys and is able to refer patients to local specialists in the area to get the help they need. He also suggests tests to identify certain deficiencies or hormone imbalances.
Their goal is to educate the community on wellness and help connect them to the resources they need to feel like their best selves.
This week the pharmacy is celebrating 10 years of being in business. This week retail purchases are 10% off and customers can enter into two raffles. The first is a saliva hormone test and consult with Diffendaffer. The second is a gift basket with a variety of products from the store. Drawings will take place on Friday.
“We hope to be here 10 more years. I like to think we made a name in the community … but we would love to continue to expand our footprint in Longmont,” Palazzolo said.
