Destro’s Pharmacy

Three-time winners Destro’s Pharmacy, Drummoyne, are making a comeback at the Inner West Local Business Awards this year after being named finalists in their category. Here we chat to pharmacist Silvi Destro about the nomination and what sets Destro’s apart from the rest…

How does it feel to be nominated again?
It feels fantastic to be a finalist, it’s great way to be acknowledged for the hard work that we all put in and the services that we deliver. Pharmacy is a passion for us. We absolutely adore our customers for supporting us for so many years, we have watched new borns in the 1980s grow up to become parents and bring their own children to Destro’s over the last 25 years and we sincerely thank our customers and appreciate their daily support. They are the driving force behind our success!

How did the pharmacy first start out?
Hector Destro Sr purchased the pharmacy in 1988 from Phil Thaux and grew the business to an astonishing level with the help of his family, working 7 days a week and extending the trading hours to 10pm. He retired in 1999 for health reasons.
I graduated in 1988 from Sydney University with Bachelor of Pharmacy and worked for Mr Destro from 1989 to 1994 as newly registered pharmacist. I was meant to be working for a short term but the store’s energy kept me there for 5 years before my ambitions of working for myself drove me to buy my own small business in Cremorne. I expanded that business to four times its size with a lot of hard work and dedication that I had inherited from Destro’s. Then wedding bells came along and I married Hector Destro Jr on February 21st 1999. As Mr Destro Sr was planning his retirement, he offered to sell Destro’s to us. We decided to accept the opportunity and keep the business in the family. We took over in October 1999, running both business for a year until we decided to focus fully on Destro’s.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
I enjoy finding solutions to our customers needs; the more we come up with solutions, the more motivated we are and the more we want to offer and deliver. The best satisfaction in the world is to be able to empathise, listen and respect our customers needs. We are so fortunate and grateful to have the opportunity to be the first stop for a person’s health needs, and we are here to stay!

What sets Destro’s apart from the other pharmacies?
We are a traditional pharmacy offering personal service; we know our customers by name, which can only be achieved by giving quality attention when they are in store. We also offer a vast range of products – if we don’t have something, we go the extra mile to get the product and are the first place to check if searching for a medicinal item. We often hear comments like: “If Destro’s don’t have it then no one else will have it.” We are known as Drummoyne’s “mini department store.” We carry quality gifts (and do gift wrapping!), toys, genuine beauty products and fragrances and we offer great value. We are not known as ‘discount pharmacy’ but you’ll be surprised with our prices. We match prices, offer discounts and understand the cost of living in Sydney so we do our best to deliver value.

Can you tell us a bit about the products and services on offer at Destro’s?
We do home deliveries Monday to Friday before lunch using an efficient courier company and personally deliver for emergencies at any time. We also do passport photos, diabetes supply, bedwetting alarms and breast pump hire, supply wheelchairs and crutches, custom-fit earplugs, measure blood pressure and do ear piercing, plus we have an in-house make up artist and photo copying and fax service. There are free baby and adult scales to use in store too.

Silvi’s advice for staying healthy this winter

• Eat healthy, sleep well and hydrate with water (we tend to drink less water in colder seasons)
• Increase your Vitamin C intake, either through your diet or as a supplement
• Listen to your body-rest when you feel the need
• Try immunity boosters and maintenance supplements tailored to your individual needs. These supplements help to prevent the onset of cold and flu or reduce the duration of symptoms

For more advice, one of Destro’s experienced pharmacists will be happy to help-just pop into the store at 197 Victoria Road, Drummoyne or phone 9181 2434