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Spend five minutes with Salem Pharmacy owner, Jared Brown, and it’s easy to see why he’s a natural fit for his profession as a pharmacist. Before he sat down for a phone interview for this article, he calmly talked to his two dogs Flynt and Cam—a Goldendoodle and a yellow Lab, respectively. His tone was kind and accommodating as he settled his pets while at home on a brief holiday break. He took a few moments to explain his dogs’ demeanors, the older more energetic than the younger.

When asked about his business, he instantly credits his wife Taylor for making it all possible. He takes his time, carefully explaining the details of their story—just as a pharmacist would carefully explain the nuances of your medication and how to weave it into your daily routine. 

If he were tired from two years of being a frontline worker in the midst of a pandemic, you would never know it. His focus is on his patients, family, and gratitude.

A central Arkansas native, Jared and his two brothers attended Walnut Valley Christian Academy where his mom, Jody, served as the school nurse. During his college years, Jared was a pre-med student at Ouachita Baptist University but he quickly became interested in pharmacy. After shadowing a family friend, Charlie Jackson, who was a local pharmacist at Harvest Foods, Jared saw the impact the role a pharmacist has on the community, which solidified his decision. 

Following graduation, he joined Walgreens as a pharmacist, traveling across the state filling in for pharmacists who were on vacation, needed to take a sick day or were on maternity leave. He enjoyed the work, but decided he wanted to be his own boss and find a place where his personal skills would fit best. He wanted to provide excellent service just like he had witnessed from his family friend. 

Established in 1998 by Nancy and Steve Carlton, Salem Pharmacy has been a pillar of the community for over two decades. So in 2012, when Jared learned that a pharmacy only eight miles from his boyhood home was for sale, he dove in headfirst.

“It was a godsend; I could not have asked for a better location,” explains Jared. “I like the feel of a small town.” For Jared and Taylor, the business transition went well and many of his patients already knew him. “We took to it naturally, and have a pretty decent business mind. I had my wife to help me. When things came up with accounting or human resources, she picked up right where I left off. It was quite smooth for us.” 

While the business transition was simple, Jared shared that the transition of being a kid turned into a professional in your hometown was an adjustment. 

“I can liken it to knowing all your parents’ friends and then you get to that weird age and you are out of college and you can call people by their first names instead of Mr. or Mrs. My customers knew me when I broke my arm or when I played with their kids, and they knew my parents. They automatically assume you are like your parents. Thankfully, my parents did a great job raising me, they know me.” 

For Jared, his role as a pharmacist goes deeper than filling a prescription. He’s established relationships with his patients, knowing more about them on a personal level. 

“My customers are family and friends, and making sure we meet there needs is the top priority. Sometimes that means staying after hours to answer questions, or congratulating them when their baby is born, or calling when a person has lost a family member.” 

“We have a really great team; they are wonderful people who work really hard,” added Jared. Many of the staff members at Salem Pharmacy have been with Jared and Taylor since the beginning.

When Jared and Taylor are not working, their other full-time job is serving as foster parents. Though owning and operating a pharmacy is a full-time job, Jared and Taylor have found a second full-time and joy-filled calling in foster care. The Browns’ love for foster care took root in late 2014. It was during that time that they began to understand the need for foster parents in our community. Recruited by The CALL, a local nonprofit that works within local churches to recruit foster parents for the state, a passion for serving children began to take hold in their hearts. 

In addition to putting the skills developed through her early career as a CPA to work for the pharmacy, Taylor works part time for The CALL, directly serving local foster and adoptive parents, and the Browns have actively fostered children in their own home for three and a half years. The CALL has provided a generous support network for them, allowing Jared and Taylor to connect with other families serving in this space, as well as helping equip the family to welcome foster children into their home and life at a moment’s notice.

Salem Pharmacy, led by Jared and additional gifted pharmacists, Jennifer Crumbaugh and Natalie Mosely, continues to grow and expand. In addition to the many standard services one would expect to find at a pharmacy, Salem Pharmacy offers a robust Immunization program headed by Jennifer Crumbaugh, PharmD. Continuing to expand with our community’s needs, this program offers immunizations such as flu, shingles, and travel vaccinations, and in early 2021 Jennifer lead their team meticulously to launch a strong COVID-19 immunization program that continues to serve faithfully. The pharmacy offers a Med Sync program, Medication Therapy Management, and now is CLIA-waived to administer COVID-19, Influenza, Strep, and many other diagnostic tests.

When it comes to health advice for the New Year, Jared’s insight is simple. “I’ve harped on this for a number of years, but it’s important. Simply this—you are in charge of your own health and it’s your responsibility. Not only should you take your medicines properly, you must also become your own advocate. Learn about your condition, learn what might cause or worsen it, seek out herbal remedies that are proven, implement lifestyle changes, be the expert on your health and wellness team. Don’t sit on the sidelines and watch. It’s the most important thing I can impress upon people.”