Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Fontana Pharmacy - 50 years and growing




Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (third left) and his wife, Most Hon Juliet Holnes MP (fourth left), with executives of Fontana Pharmacy in Mandeville (from left), Ann Chang; Co-Founder, Bobby Chang (second left); Kevin Chang; and Ray Thierren, at the launch of Fontana Pharmacy’s 50th anniversary celebrations on January 17. Mr. Holness was the keynote speaker.
Photo: Yhomo Hutchinson - JIS 

Excerpt from Jamaica Observer column published 10 September 2018
by Jean Lowrie-Chin

We were shopping around in vain for household items at an older store in Savanna-la-mar some years ago, when someone suggested that we check out the then newly opened Fontana Pharmacy, one of several branches of Jamaica’s largest pharmacy chain.  There we were greeted with a well-stocked store and helpful staff. What a bold move in a relatively small town.

Created in 1968 in Mandeville by Bobby and the late Angela Chang, their children Kevin and Anne responded to keen succession planning. Eighty-six-year-old Bobby continues as a Board Director in retirement, while Anne's husband Ray Therrien has joined the Board. The strong trio, Kevin, Ann and Ray have made  Fontana a household word and one of the most popular Jamaican shopping sites online.  
They will mark their 50thAnniversary with the opening of a 35,000 square foot super store at the Waterloo-West Kings House intersection which it is reported “will feature a state-of-the-art pharmacy, one-stop beauty hub, extensive baby and children’s selections, wide-ranging house and home décor collection, full business centre, photo lab, bill payment and courier services.”
Jamaicans should be heartened by such developments which will create 80 new jobs in addition to the scores employed in the construction of the complex. Clearly we have solid investment opportunities, so we hope fellow citizens both here and in the diaspora will come on board and enjoy the benefits to themselves and to the country.





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