Century-old Morgan’s Pharmacy Gets New Owner
By • July 18, 2022 0 3736
Morgan Care Pharmacy, the 110-year-old business at the corner of 30th and P Streets NW, has a new owner.
For the 33-year-old Sahar Kassem, owning and managing an independent pharmacy has been a life-long dream. At her previous job at Grubb’s Pharmacy, she worked under Dr. Mike Kim, the former proprietor of Morgan’s. When she found out he was selling the business, she jumped at the opportunity.
“I have always wanted to work closely with my patients and feel that I’m truly helping them,” Kassem said. “And I knew that the best way to do that was at an independent pharmacy.”
In her final year at Howard University, where Kassem earned her doctorate of pharmacology, she lost her grandmother. Although her grandmother did not live to see her granddaughter take over Morgan’s, Kassem said she sees her grandmother and older family members in each of her patients.
“We treat people like family at Morgan’s,” Kassem said. “That’s what people love about this place. It feels familiar to them.”
She told The Georgetowner that the details that make Morgan’s the “gem” that it is — such as Maurice Brown, attentive staffer at the register, who has been greeting customers with a smile for more than a decade — are not going anywhere.
“Maurice is a big part of Morgan’s, too. We want to keep that alive — the feeling of home, the feeling that patients can rely on us even if they’re having a hard time reaching the doctor.”
Many Georgetowners recall beloved owner and pharmacist Barry Deutschman, who retired in 2018 after more than 25 years.
Kassem said the pharmacy continues to ship prescriptions and medications to patients who have moved to other states, and even overseas.
In terms of her ideas for the future, Kassem envisions more community outreach, from free diabetes checks to free blood monitoring.
“A lot of people don’t understand what medications or prescriptions they’re taking. I want them to be able to come here for information. We could answer any questions and educate our patients on weekends when we’re not open,” Kassem said. “I want Morgan’s to be a place that feels accessible for everyone.”
With hopes of reaching more members of the community for the future, Kassem says her core business value is to take care of neighbors and patients alike.
“It’s fulfilling to live a life centered around service,” Kassem said. “That’s the reason why I get up in the morning and I’m happy to go to work. I just want to touch as many lives as I can.”
