Local Pharmacist Is Back Behind Counter

Larry Dunst, who closed his family owned pharmacy in 1993, is back in business filling prescriptions locally.

Dunst, 55, has returned to Fillmore to manage a pharmacy for Community Memorial Hospital’s newly opened Fillmore Medical Plaza.

After he and his father operated Clough’s Pharmacy for 45 years, Larry Dunst sold the independent pharmacy to the rival Thrifty Drug chain, now Rite-Aid, and worked as a free-lance pharmacist. A five-year noncompete clause in the sales agreement has expired, and Dunst is back dispensing medicine.

“They’ve had the only store in town for five years,” Dunst said. “I intend on making a major dent in their business.”

“We’re ecstatic he’s running the pharmacy for us,” said Al Limon, a hospital spokesman. “As patients come in to see their doctor, if they need prescriptions, they can get it in one location. And Larry’s well-known in the community.”

Four full-time physicians will be on staff at the medical plaza at 852 Ventura St., which will also offer physical therapy, family planning and radiology.

Dunst said he originally sold his shop after becoming exhausted from the day-to-day grind of owning a pharmacy, but feels rejuvenated as he starts again.

“After 10 years of working 12 hours a day, seven days a week, I got tired,” Dunst said. “I sold it, and now I’m back as an employee--working 12 hours a day, six days a week.”