Clyde Pharmacy Celebrates Community in Oklahoma City

Greg Clyde, PharmD, is the owner of Clyde Pharmacy in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Clyde graduated with a BS in pharmacy from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford and a PharmD from the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy in Oklahoma City.

After he graduated, Clyde worked for 12 years as an inpatient pharmacist before helping to open an orthopedic hospital, where he was the director of pharmacy. Next, he moved to a community chain pharmacy for 10 years. On March 1, 2019, he opened Clyde Pharmacy.

“The goal when opening was to offer personalized service,” he explains. Clyde describes his pharmacy as a traditional retail pharmacy with a gift shop, and he notes that what sets his pharmacy apart is keeping patients happy.

“Our secret weapon, so to speak, is our personal touch. From answering our phones without using an [interactive voice response] to responding to patient needs, we go out of our way to reduce frustration from the patient perspective,” he shares. “We focus on hospitality first, then pharmacy. The goal from the outset was to create a space where patients are the center of everything we do. Putting hospitality first is key to creating a patient-centered culture.”

Clyde explains that Oklahoma City is the 20th largest metro area in the country, but the pharmacy has developed an environment that feels like a smaller community. He recalls when he hired his first pharmacist, who has developed close relationships with many of their patients.

He says the pharmacy is “blessed by our patients’ word of mouth,” which allows the staff to focus on helping their patients rather than advertising. They invest time engaging with customers on social media particularly Facebook, and they have also put up a billboard at a busy intersection for maximum visibility near the pharmacy.

Clyde shares a favorite story from when the store had just opened and Clyde was still waiting on contracts from various insurance companies as well as an outside sign.

“To say it wasn’t really ready to go is an understatement,” he jokes. “The first week I filled 0 prescriptions. The second week I filled 5, and the third week I filled 9. I thought, ‘Oh boy, you’ve put a lot of eggs in this basket and it’s not going well.’

“During the fourth week we were open, a couple pulled into the parking lot at 6:02 PM. I closed at 6 PM. I said to myself, ‘You better let them in. You haven’t done anything all day!’ They came in, shopped for about 20 minutes, and talked about the neighborhood. The husband asked for his prescriptions to be transferred, and the wife bought a blood pressure cuff. A few hours later, a friend sent me a message that someone had written a review of buying a blood pressure cuff on the Nextdoor app. The wife had all positive things to say about the store. The next morning, I had 4 people in the store before 10 AM and as they say, the rest is history!”

Clyde often reminds himself that his split-second decision to open the doors after closing was the catalyst that made the store what it is today.

“I call that decision my $10 million decision because without it, we wouldn’t have the sales we’ve had over the past 5 years,” he says.

Clyde and his staff also spend time giving back to the community. Every fall, they offer vaccine clinics at churches, gyms, and various worksites. Pharmacy staff members volunteer at bingo games monthly at a nearby independent living facility and sponsor events for the local gym.

When he is not at the pharmacy, Clyde enjoys spending time with his family. Clyde also enjoys traveling, playing golf, and watching and attending live sporting events.

“I love the blended family my wife and I created that includes 8-year-old twins and 10-, 16-, and 18-year-old boys. We also have 3 dogs, so it’s a full house!”