IPC Member Spotlight: The Story of Ashville and Circleville Apothecary
In Pickaway County, Ohio, longevity is not measured only in years. It is measured in trust. In familiarity. In the quiet confidence that comes from knowing exactly where to go when you need help.
For over 40 years, Ashville & Circleville Apothecary has been that place.
Since opening its doors in 1979, Ashville & Circleville Apothecary has served as a steady presence in the community, offering care that feels personal because it is. Long before pharmacy became rushed and impersonal, Robert D. Mabe built his business on a simple belief: patients should be known, not processed.
Robert D. Mabe
Owner
Stephen Mabe
Pharmacy Manager
Stephen’s connection to the pharmacy began early. At just 12 years old, he started working in the store, stocking shelves and learning the daily rhythm of a community pharmacy. Over time, he moved through nearly every role, from clerk to technician to pharmacist, gaining a perspective that only comes from growing up inside the business.
Today, Stephen is the pharmacy manager for both the Ashville and Circleville locations. A graduate of Ohio Northern University and a lifelong resident of Pickaway County, he works full time across both stores. In addition, he manages a traveling vaccination clinic and serves as an adjunct professor, helping train future pharmacists from across Ohio. Despite the many hats he wears, his focus remains simple and consistent: taking care of the people who walk through the door.
The Heart of the Pharmacy
When asked what has allowed Ashville & Circleville Apothecary to last for 40 years, Stephen does not point to a single service or strategy.
“We try to keep the same core elements,” he said. “Personal contact, knowing families well.”
That approach has shaped generations of relationships. Patients are not just names in a system. They are neighbors, friends, and families who have trusted Ashville & Circleville Apothecary through every stage of life.
Some of the most meaningful moments happen outside of normal business hours, when care is needed most.
“When you deliver a medication outside of store hours for a hospice patient or a grieving family or someone in need,” Stephen said, “I think that’s really what most people have always remembered us for.”
Those moments define the pharmacy just as much as any service offered behind the counter. They are the reason patients continue to return, not out of convenience, but out of connection.
Growing With the Community
Over the decades, Ashville & Circleville Apothecary grew alongside Pickaway County. In 2004, the business expanded with a second location in Circleville, allowing the same level of care to reach more patients while preserving the close-knit feel that made the Ashville location special.
Ashville & Circleville Apothecary has evolved as healthcare has changed, adopting new processes and tools to remain efficient and sustainable. But every change has been made with intention. The goal has never been to replace relationships, only to protect the time and attention required to maintain them.
That balance has allowed Ashville & Circleville Apothecary to remain dependable in an industry that is constantly shifting.
A Commitment to Craft and Care
One of Ashville & Circleville Apothecary’s defining strengths is its dedication to compounding. As the only PCCA-licensed compounding pharmacy in Pickaway County and the South-Central Ohio area, the team specializes in creating customized medications tailored to individual patient needs.
Under the leadership of Robert Mabe, the chief compounding pharmacist, Ashville & Circleville Apothecary, provides expertise in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, hospice care, pain management, veterinary compounding, and specialty formulations. This work requires precision, collaboration, and trust between pharmacists, providers, and patients.
The respect for pharmacy as both a science and a craft is visible throughout the business, including inside the store itself. At the corporate location, visitors will find a pharmacy museum filled with rare and historic artifacts.
“We have quite a significant pharmacy museum up here,” Stephen said. “Quite some interesting pieces in there that you can only find in the Smithsonian.”
It is a reminder that pharmacy has a deep history, and that the role of the pharmacist has always been rooted in care and community.
Advocacy as Responsibility
Like many independent pharmacy owners, the Mabe family has faced increasing challenges, from shrinking margins to complex reimbursement structures. Stephen speaks candidly about the reality.
“It is quite difficult at the moment,” he said.
Rather than disengage, Ashville & Circleville Apothecary has chosen to advocate. The team regularly invites legislators into the pharmacy, attends advocacy events, testifies at the statehouse, and participates in national conversations about the future of pharmacy.
“I always advocate that pharmacy owners have to be involved in legislative matters if they want to still be in business these days,” Stephen said. “You don’t really have a choice not to be.”
In 2025, Stephen testified in support of PBM reform, lending his voice to the ongoing fight for fairness and transparency in PBM Reform. You can watch the full video here:
Looking Ahead with Confidence
Despite the challenges facing the industry, Stephen remains optimistic.
“I don’t think the sun is setting on pharmacy like people think it is,” he said. “Independent pharmacy still has a very big role to play in small communities, especially as healthcare gets bigger.”
That belief is grounded in experience. Communities like Pickaway County still need trusted healthcare providers. They still need pharmacists who know their patients. And they still need places where care feels human.
Over 40 Years and Still Moving Forward
As Ashville & Circleville Apothecary celebrates 47 years in business, the milestone reflects more than longevity. It reflects consistency. Presence. And a commitment to showing up, even when it is hard.
Stephen’s advice to other pharmacy owners reflects the mindset that has carried Ashville & Circleville Apothecary this far.
“Take it one day at a time,” he said. “Try not to get lost in the negativity. Stay positive, stick to your core message, stick to the work ethic that got you there, and you’ll see yourself through.”
In Pickaway County, that philosophy has sustained Ashville & Circleville Apothecary for nearly five decades. And it continues to guide the road ahead.
