I REMEMBER IT WELL
As reviewed by Danforth Prince
Staten Island's "Good Neighbor" Saint George Pharmacy was always an independent, small-town oddity-- personable, amicable, and tucked away on historic Stuyvesant Place near Borough Hall.
I REMEMBER IT WELL: THE FIRE (was it arson by squatters on its back porch?) that ripped through it in 2018, forcing its then-sole proprietor, Alphonse Gentile (aka, Al), to move operations into a trailer parked outside. Evoking a military canteen in a war zone, it began a grassroots campaign that "trained" its clients about the logistics of retrieving their vital meds from a venue that evoked a scene from the Apocalypse. Think London during the Blitz. "Lemons from Lemonade," and "Phoenixes Rising from (literal) ashes" became the joint's monikers. Neighbors applauded the staff's tenacity, humor, and endurance. After more than a year, affairs inside were repaired and the trailer was hauled away to the dustbins of memory. I REMEMBER IT WELL.
SINCE THEN, WHAT'S NEW AT 99 STUYVESANT PLACE? Whereas Al (let's call him "a patriarch of the ancien régime") is still a front-of-store guiding light, the joint is more savvy and cosmo than ever, thanks to OMAR and a team of investors who have joined the mélée. The transfer of power was graceful, poignant, and amicable. Savvy cosmopolitan internationalists have pulled the joint into the 21st Century. No bumps. No grinds, No agita...at least none that the public ever knew about. I REMEMBER IT WELL.
"Masters of Ceremony" from the old days are still in place: Among too many for me to list, they include LAFAYETTE, a star in his own right for his successful front-of-store role as "Cerberus at the Gates of Hell." Savvy technocrats from the old days still include RON and GARY. With panache and BADDA BING, they still dispense the chems that keep many of us alive. WHAT ELSE IS NEW? Inoculations! Medical Hardware! Higher Tech! And the ability to convo in LOTS of different languages.
MY ADVICE? Check it out, the "New" Saint George Pharmacy, the most recent manifestation of the neighborhood's oldest pharmaceutical staple. The vibe is cool, and the staff wins kudos for ironic senses of humor. And medically, the place is prepped, primed, and ready for its close-up. HINT: It's open weeknights till 8pm, Saturdays till 6, so if you're navigating by car during rush hour, consider a weekday arrival after, say, 6:30 or 7pm when streetside parking is easier. The Saint George Theater and some engaging restaurants (Navi! Enoteca Maria! Ruddy & Dean! Chang Noi Thai!) are just a skip and skedaddle away. read more
