Best Pharmacist: Marty Antaya

Marty Antaya takes great pride in owning what he refers to as a typical local neighborhood pharmacy, where customer service involves taking the time to get to know everyone who comes through the door.

So when informed he had won the 2023 BOB award for best pharmacist, he admitted he was both flattered and surprised.

“That’s very nice of the community to think of me that way,” he said.

Crescent Park Pharmacy has been open for about two years. As for Antaya he has been a pharmacist for roughly 26 years, and previously worked in Ontario and Manitoba before moving with his family back to the town he grew up in. He then worked at Safeway for some 20 years.

Acknowledging there are many great pharmacies in Prince Albert, Antaya thinks one of the things that sets his business apart is the fact they don’t have an automated phone service.

“So if you phone you’re probably getting me or somebody who works in there right away,”he said, adding he works hard to get to know everyone’s names who come into the pharmacy.

“I probably know 95 percent of people’s names when they come in here and get to know their health and their meds.”

On the subject of medication, Antalya explained he can prescribe some medication for some minor ailments, but quickly added there is a question and answer process with the patient, and through that he can see if its beyond the pharmacy or within their scope.

As a new customer to the store, one of the first things you notice is how well lit the business is and there is a definite feeling of comfort. Whether it’s the row of greeting cards available to your right hand side or just how easily it is to find whatever it is you are seeking.

Antaya added one of their more recent additions too is their selection of M&M Food Market Express products.

“I think that’s a nice add for this part of the city if you’re busy and on your way home, you can pick that up,” he said.

Crescent Park Pharmacy is located at 1501A Olive Diefenbaker Drive. They’re open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and on Saturday 12-4pm. Acknowledging the number of people that still connect the pharmacy to the former restaurant that was once there for many years, Antaya joked that after completing the paperwork for the business, he later regretted not calling it Chef RX.