Pride Pharmacy

I really debated writing this review or not, but I felt I had to at least share my experience in case anyone else has gone through the same thing, so they won’t feel alone.
First off, this review doesn’t mean that this business is bad or that they don’t help people, because I am sure they do, but this review is just about my negative experience and the way it made me feel.
And so the story begins:
Okay, let’s first be real, this pharmacy is in Hillcrest so they deal with a lot of HIV medication/​customers, including myself. When I first started my HIV Rx I had my doctor send it to Walgreens just because it is convenient, nearby, has a 24hr drive thru, etc etc…
So this guy that works there, named Alfredo, finds me on Grindr and hits me up, and so I start talking to him and getting to know him. I really should have known it was a bad idea because his profile is shady and doesn’t even have a face picture and he uses a fake name on Grindr. But we end up meeting under the pretense of being friends, and I had no knowledge that he worked at Pride Pharmacy at this time anyway. He told me about a Poz support meeting he is starting at the LGBT Center, so cool, I figure I can go. Long story short, we start hanging out, going to the meetings, and he comes over to my place and we play video games and cuddle and stuff… well one day he comes over and pressures me into signing up at his pharmacy and switching my Rx over. I did not really feel comfortable with it and he basically tried to make me feel guilty by saying «oh you don’t trust me, we are friends» blah blah blah… so I give him my personal info and Rx info and then we cuddle and then he leaves…
At a later time I tell him that I don’t feel comfortable switching to his pharmacy and that I am really perfectly fine getting my Rx at Walgreens and he tries to guilt trip me again like crazy like «Oh but I am your friend, I want to take care of you.» Its all a bunch of BS. So the next month when my Rx was up for refill, Lupe, from Pride Pharmacy calls me and says my Rx is ready… well now I am upset because I told Alfredo I don’t want to do my Rx through that pharmacy and then he gets bold and says «you know, you are insulting me and hurting my feelings.» I just told him straight up, I want him to reverse the transaction and kick my Rx back so I can go get it at Walgreens. He finally caves and does it…
So point of the story? Alfredo will just use and abuse you to get customers for his employer. He will trick you into thinking he is your friend, and he will even go as far as to cuddle with you to make you feel wanted. He took advantage of me because he knew I was lonely and emotionally vulnerable. And then when you hesitate, he will try to guilt trip you.
So if you ever get solicited from Alfredo, or «Zeth» on Grindr, steer clear, all he wants is to use you to get new customers. I don’t know if he gets a bonus or incentive for doing this, but either way, its very unprofessional and disrespectful, and frankly, I want nothing to do with Pride Pharmacy. He made me feel like he was my friend, and in the end he just tried to use me for financial gain. It is amazing how far people will go to trick you… It was the worst thing someone could do to me at a time when I was so emotionally neglected and vulnerable.
Hopefully there is no one else out there that went through this, but if there is, just know he has done it to other guys.

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LUPE, the guy or girl, who works there is extremely unprofessional and hostile.
Pride Pharmacy is far from my house, so I called to transfer my prescriptions to a closer pharmacy near my house. Additionally, I don’t have a six-​hour window of time to be waiting around my house for a delivery, since they only deliver meds if someone is there to sign for them. I explained all of this, but Lupe tried to GUILT TRIP me, saying that it was «basically a slap in the face.» He then proceeded to complain about how many hours that Pride spends on me and every other customer. S/​he said that I was «not appreciative of them» due to the fact that I wanted to transfer my meds. Even though I was very polite and nice to him, he was very spiteful – he even hung up on me while I was midsentence!
When I spoke with CVS, where I wanted to transfer my meds, the CVS pharmacist even commented about how rude and condescending Lupe was, since she had to talk to Lupe to transfer the meds.
*** Do NOT believe that Pride is better at getting TARs or overrides than other pharmacies. It simply is not true. ***
LUPE should be fired and instead find a job where s/​he doesn’t have contact with humans – at least until he learns to have a little respect.
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Finally a pharmacy that has OLD FASION SERVICE. I get my medicine delivered (on time.) They specifically compound my pain cream, to MY specifications. Pharmacists that are really caring an intelligent, Sonal is the best.

Great customer service! Sonal helped me find out if insurance covered a hard to find Rx. They were the only pharmacy in San Diego that could mix this particular Rx and she found out insurance covered it. Yay! Plus, they’re one of the only independently owned pharmacies left in San Diego in a sea of chains. I will use Pride from now on.

Pride pharmacy is the best pharmacy I’ve ever used! I have to have some prescriptions made for me and they really do a great job.
The pharmacist is Sonal, she is great. She very attentive and goes the extra mile.
Thank you Sonal and pride for taking such awesome care of me and my friends I refer.

Pride Pharmacy will give you that personal service that you will miss if you go to the big chain stores. They are knowledgeable and super friendly!

I’ve been going to this pharmacy since it first opened. The pharmacy has a great location and quick parking to get in and get out quick. They also offer free delivery of medication which I use from time to time. The pharmacy has gone through some change in its infancy (2 pharmacists) but I think now they’ve found the right pharmacist to run the store. He (Danny) is friendly, polite and very knowledgable. He’ll be able to answer any of your medication questions or will get back to you with a more thorough answer. I recommend this pharmacy to all my friends who live in the area.

This pharmacy provides a pleasant, comfortable atmosphere for all patients. I would encourage all patients, local or not, to use Pride Pharmacy. They can deliver your medications and provide any advice you need. Daniel, the new pharmacist is helpful, knowledgeable, patient, and highly efficient. I would most definitely recommend this pharmacy!

My first job was working at our family owned pharmacy, so I know what to expect.
This place gets 1 star for being clean, and one star for being in an excellent location with a fabulous name. Minus 1 for turning the lights on at 9am when you were supposed to be open, but not actually unlocking the door or responding to my knocking until 9:20. That was 20 minutes of discomfort that could have been avoided if I had just gone to a 24 hour chain. But no, I stood there waiting to support a small local business. Well maybe this is why big chains beat small local businesses in the consumer war. Cause when I asked for oral re-​hydration salts, the pharmacist (?) had no idea what I was talking about. I found some pedialyte, which was not what I wanted. I noticed they have bleaching cream, which in my opinion is horrible cosmetic nonsense, but according to this pharmacist they do not have a very simple and necessary item that is even carried (it turns out) at Sprouts. Then I tried to pay. She didn’t know how to use a debit card with the cash register. I had to walk her through it. Maybe it was her first day or she was a temp or something, but being polite while providing absolutely sub-​standard service is not really acceptable. Hopefully she will receive some on-​site training before her next shift, and someone else will take over stocking actual medicine to replace cosmetic poison. Good luck with that. I will go back, but only because CVS is the devil.

Great place. Great location. Even better staff. The pharmacist Ryan is so knowledgeable!