After 40 years of bringing his dry sense of humour to customers at Southside Pharmacy, pharmacist Michael Hermann is retiring. 

Michael said he originally became a pharmacist because he “wasn’t smart enough to be a vet”.

"Being a vet was my first choice – but I’m scared of blood too - so it’s lucky I am a pharmacist,” he said.

This week will be his last week of working in the local business that he opened in July 1981 – and the local community is sad to see him go.

Michael said Southside Pharmacy is built on foundations of building relationships and providing great customer service – and it’s something that his customers have grown to love.

“Being in South Lismore, I’ve seen a few floods over the years,” Michael said.

“People came out of the woodwork to help us in floods in the old days - cleaning up the mess underneath and moving things back into the shop.

“The community have been very good to me.”

Beginnings

Michael said he originally opened the pharmacy to fill in a needed gap in services for South Lismore residents.

“There had already been a small pharmacy in Southside, but it closed down,” Michael said.

“So, after locals asked me if I could do it, I originally opened a little shop down the road that used to be a junk shop. 

“We renovated it into a pharmacy and I had one staff member - Janelle Morrisey.

“After a few years, the saddlery shop next door moved to North Lismore and was vacant, so we took that on too.”

The current pharmacy opened in its current location 15 years ago and now Michael has 24 staff.

“I’ve had the right staff to help me build the business over the years,” he said.

“Although I’m the figurehead, it’s the staff you but staff you attract who make it happen through their hard work and service and you don’t have to watch what they are doing.”

Over the years, as the pharmacy business grew, Michael started providing surgical equipment too.

“The surgical hire business was a gradual addition because people were asking for surgical items, so it grew into a big business – Southside Health and Hire,” he said.

“The time is right time for a new energy and enthusiasm to keep providing great customer service into the future.”

The future

After working five and a half days a week for most of the past 40 years, Michael is ready for whatever retirement offer him.

You might even see him filling in whenever a pharmacist is needed around town. 

Taking over the reins as pharmacist will be Kyle Wood. 

“Even though I’m retiring, the services will remain the same,” Michael said. “Kyle will keep the same staff and continue to expand the services."

It's not Michael's just good customer service that will be remembered by locals, it's also his desire to give back to the community through supporting local charities that will be missed.

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