Dendinger will buy area pharmacy

HARTINGTON — After toiling and working her way up the career ladder, Hartington native Ashley Dendinger is ready to make a big jump.

The long-time pharmacist who currently works at Steffen Drug – where she has been employed for seven years – is purchasing the Plainview Pharmacy, and will take ownership Dec. 2.

“The pharmacy world is a small world and I heard through word of mouth that it was for sale,” Dendinger said. “I had always had an interest of owning my own place eventually down the road and it was a good opportunity to pursue.”

Dendinger made the call to the Plainview owner and the two talked for a few hours and agreed to continue with their talks.

“We met up and spent two to three hours together and he showed me the pharmacy,” she said. “When time was up, we both felt that it was a good fit: The pharmacy for me and me for the pharmacy and we went from there.”

When she begins her new job a few weeks before Christmas, Dendinger plans on renaming the business as Plainview Family Pharmacy.

A lot of the licenses and billings will be the same since she is taking over the Plainview business as a whole. She will have to apply for some of the required licenses next month.

“When all that falls into place, Plainview Family Pharmacy will take over,” Dendinger said.

Admittedly, Dendinger has held visions of owning the Hartington pharmacy, but Plainview is very similar in terms of a community with which she is familiar.

“The people love having a pharmacy there and I got a sense of community the minute I stepped into town,” she said. “They’ve been very welcoming to me. With it being a lot like Hartington, I felt it was a good fit for me.”

Dendinger said although she has no plans to move out of Hartington, she will miss working with the staff and customers in Hartington.

“I am really sad to be leaving – I have been there seven years,” she said. “It will be a good change for me and my family.”

Dendinger matriculated over to be a pharmacist after having a long-time interest in the medical field.

“When I was in medical school, I always thought I’d become a doctor,” she said. “But I didn’t fall in love with lifestyle a medical doctor leads. So, I reevaluated my life choices. It was my Mom who was the one to say, ‘Have you ever thought about being a pharmacist?’

“I always thought of it being a man’s job since every pharmacist I had known was a man. I started digging around and found out there were a lot more women than I had originally thought. It just looked like a better family choice for me  — better hours, still a great income, and I found out I enjoyed being the last in the healthcare process.”

Going to the pharmacy is the last step after a doctor’s visit, any diagnoses being made and ultimately having a need to pick up required medications.

“The community relies on the pharmacist,” Dendinger said. “I love the interaction and being there for the community. They are always grateful of that extra tidbit of information that will make them tolerate their medication a little better. The worst part is dealing with the insurance companies.”

After graduating from Cedar Catholic High School and then South Dakota State University and holding jobs as a floater pharmacist for K-Mart in the Tri-State area and later for Hy-Vee Pharmacy in Vermillion and Yankton, Dendinger ultimately found her calling.

“When I left Hartington for college, I thought I wanted bigger, better, faster … when I came to Steffen Drug, I enjoyed being able to hold a conversation with each patient. I came to find out that being in a small town is exactly where I fit. I haven’t regretted being in a small town ever since.”

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