Webster’s Community Pharmacy Reopens in Altadena

Webster’s Community Pharmacy, an Altadena landmark since 1926, reopened Monday at its new Chase Plaza location following a closure triggered by the Eaton Fire in January and then by regulatory and infrastructure hurdles.

“Today is the first day we could physically open up after all the remediation and things we had to deal with,” owner Meredith Miller said. “Up until about a week ago, we didn’t have water. We had to wait for that.”

The business escaped the widespread destruction that affected many neighboring establishments. During the initial reopening phase, the pharmacy department will be fully operational, filling prescriptions and offering local delivery services.

“We’re a pharmacy first,” said Miller as customers returned to the 2333 Lake Avenue location. “Our team will be available to answer any questions and arrange for prescriptions to be delivered locally,” Miller said.

The pharmacy has served the Altadena community for nearly a century.

Like all others in California, the pharmacy must comply with strict regulations from the state pharmacy board, including formal notices when closing and reopening. Because of these requirements, Webster’s had to temporarily transfer its prescription services to Fairmont Pharmacy in Pasadena, ensuring that customers didn’t experience any disruptions in their medication needs.

“We have to be within the scope of the pharmacy board,” Miller said. “Luckily, our customers, the ones that were able to get their prescriptions filled, are perfectly happy and did not miss a beat with their medication.”

The current location of Webster’s Community Pharmacy in Chase Bank Plaza had already been in operation for about 10 months prior to the fire disruption. The business had moved from its original space, where it had been a fixture for decades, due to a lease expiration in April.

While some in the community may have been confused by ongoing construction at Webster’s old site, Miller clarified that the relocation had long been planned and was not a result of damage to the previous building.

“This was our new location for the last 10 months,” she said. “I had a beautiful gift shop in here and everything looked great. We had over-the-counter medication, and then the fire happened.”

The transition to the new space came with its own set of challenges. Miller and her team had just 60 days to convert the building from a jiu-jitsu studio into a fully functioning pharmacy and retail store. The new space, measuring approximately 2,200 square feet, is slightly smaller than the previous location, but Miller said Monday she is confident the store, which first opened in 1926, will continue to serve the community’s needs.

As the store restocks and reorganizes, Miller is carefully curating the selection of products to better serve Altadena residents, many of whom are still recovering from the historic Eaton Fire.

“We have to be very aware of what people’s needs are right now,” she said. “I’m not sure they need a beautiful candle line, but they probably need scissors—that kind of thing.”

Miller also plans to reintegrate Webster’s popular licensed apparel and gift items, which have continued to perform well through online sales. Proceeds from these products have helped support fire relief fundraising efforts, and she looks forward to offering them in-store once again.

For customers who were forced to transfer their prescriptions elsewhere during the temporary closure, Webster’s is now welcoming them back.

“We’re back up and running with the pharmacy,” Miller said. “People can transfer back if they had to go elsewhere out of the area. They just need to give us a call, and we’ll get it all transferred back for them.”

Though restocking of retail items is ongoing, the pharmacy itself is fully operational.

“With the pharmacy, we’re fine,” Miller said. “That’s our main priority.”

The reopening of Webster’s Community Pharmacy provides a sense of normalcy and continuity as Altadena residents continue to recover from recent challenges.