SUMMATION: A small, very good pharmacy, in a convenience store or Colmado [1] with a fairly good…read moreselection. It is of no tourist interest and not near any major attraction.
NAME: Farmacia Serrano Miradero
SIZE: One story, 4161 sq. ft.
CHAIN: Serrano Pharmaceuticals, Inc. [2], also has "Farmacia Serrano I" at Mendez Vigo 169 East, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico 00680-5409; (787) 834-3400
Belongs to Puerto Rico Pharmacy Cooperative (COOPHARMA) with 311 members.
MY RATING: Very Good (4.2/5)
TITLE: "Convenient and Personable" [Yelp, my review #464 [3], submitted 30 November 2015] Updated 3 December 2015
TELEPHONE: (787) 265-2684
PRESIDENT: Maneul A. Serrano (Serrano Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
SECRETARY: Rina Fernandez (Serrano Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
MANAGER: Norma Santiago
LOCALITY: Carretera PR-108, km 2.6, Barrio Miradero, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico 00680
LATITUDE, LONGITUDE: 18°13'44.37N, 67°8'10.31W
DIFFICULTY LOCATING: easy
DIRECTIONS: Off PR 2, turn only way onto PR 3108, at dead-end right onto PR 108, and see their sign and parking lot on left side of road.
PARKING: Ample, paved, private lot.
CLERKS: The pharmacy staff are very gracious, accommodating, and friendly. The front checkout clerks have a bit less enthusiasm.
LAYOUT: Enter through an alcove with double glass doors on both sides. Checkout counter on immediate right. Sometimes a table of fresh produce on left. Soft drinks on left. Frozen and refrigerated things in far left corner. Three rows of breads, canned goods, and herbs and suppliments on this side. Farmacy takes up left middle to back left side of store. Turn in prescriptions at the right window, pick up at left window. There are chairs for waiting in middle. Right had side of store has all sorts of toiletries, beauty products, kitchenware, hardware, toys, etc. A package-wrapping counter is on the far right center.
DECORE: Sort of a little, old general store or big Colmado [1]
AIR CONDITIONED: yes
HOURS OF OPERATION: 7 am-9:50 pm Monday-Friday, 8 am-9:45 pm Saturday-Sunday
TYPE: Pharmacy and convenience store with small cans and containers, a few frozen and refrigerated products, and usually only onions and potatoes fresh. Sometimes local avacados, mangos, or starfruit in season.
SPEED OF SERVICE: Usually only 1 or 2 customers in line for the pharmacy or the front checkout. Service takes more time than it should, but is not that bad.
REFRESHMENTS: Free coffee or hot chocolate while you wait for prescriptions to be filled. Sometimes free cookies or crackers.
BATHROOMS: A small, but adequate one behind the pharmacy is locked and unlabeled, but available on request.
DANGERS:
(I) Large delivery trucks cannot get in the front gate. When they park outside on the road, one cannot see to safely enter the road.
PROBLEMS:
(I) Shared COOPHARMA fliers list alcohol products and other things this store does not have.
(II) Seem to have most prescription medicines, but often run out or do not have enough ("rain check" slip for remainder).
(III) Does not have the fancy computer systems of charts, automated phone calls when prescriptions are low, etc. Old fashion charm has its disadvantages.
NOISE LEVEL: quite
HEALTH:
(I) Does not sell tobacco or alcohol products.
(II) Have many herbal and supplement products besides over-the-counter medications.
CONFUSIONS: Two "Farmacia Serrano" in Mayaguez.
REVIEWS: rated Good, 4.14/5, 49 [4] reviews (IvuSpots)
REVIEWS (Farmacia Serrano I): Very, Very Good, 4.33/5, 3 reviews (Google)
HISTORY: Serrano Pharmaceuticals, Inc., was founded in 1979. We have been going there for many years.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Colmados were the equivalent of convenience stores or 7-11s, except they had beer and alcohol. Back in the 1970s they were everywhere. Slowly the big Waldmarts, Waldgreens, etc. have replaced them. Open-air, dusty, dirty, not very cold beer and shots of bad rum, pan de aqua, local newspapers, very local produce, and the soul of Puerto Rico.
[2] $2.4 million/yr in business; 21 employees
[3] Plus thousands of unnumbered, critical article and book reviews for hundreds of journals.
[4] They say 50, but they only list 49.
