By Morgan Bryce

Associate Editor

Smiths Station’s newest pharmacy, Crossroads Pharmacy Coffee and Gifts, is set to hold its grand opening ceremony Thursday.

Owned and operated by the husband-and-wife team of Dickey and Ann Redding, Crossroads possesses a full-service pharmacy, over-the-counter medication, coffee bar, gifts, pet and sports medicine supplies, and more.

“Here at Crossroads, it’s all about the experience. As I always say, ‘you can buy your medications or your coffees anywhere,’” Ann said. “But it all comes back again to the experience. How do you feel when you purchase it? Do you feel like you’re just a number and a date-of-birth? That’s the one thing I want people who come here to get: that we care about them and want to help do what’s best for them to have a better experience and journey in life.”

The couple both have ties to the area. Dickey, originally from Notasulga, worked for a number of years in his family’s refrigeration business. Ann, a graduate of Mercer University’s College of Pharmacy, has nearly 30 years experience in the field, working mostly for large pharmaceutical corporations and retail stores.

Crossroads is the fruition of a four-year-long dream the couple have had of owning their own business.

“We are located at a major crossroads, (U.S.) Highway 280 and Summerville, but the name ‘Crossroads’ also reflects where Dickey and I are in our lives and professional careers. Most people our age (50s), you stop and reassess where you are in your career, what you’ve done in life,” Ann said. “I was very happy with the life path I had chosen, but after doing it for 20-plus years, you start thinking, ‘what can I do different?’ We feel like God just opened this opportunity for us at the exact time that we needed it, and we took it and ran with it.”

Since opening a month ago, the couple agreed that the overall community response that they have received has been stronger than expected.

Looking to the future of their business, Ann shared her vision for the impact she believes Crossroads can make on Smiths Station and the surrounding areas.

“We thought that this area needed something that we could add to the fabric of the community, where people can come and feel comfortable just hanging out, grab a cup of coffee, feel comfortable with us as if we were a part of their family,” Ann said. “We just want to serve and be an asset to the community we serve and the people (that live in it).”

Monday – Friday, the coffee bar opens at 7 a.m. EST. The pharmacy opens later at 8 a.m., and both close at 6:30 p.m. On Saturday, both remain open from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., and Crossroads is closed each Sunday.

Fore more information, visit their Facebook page or call 334-291-5328. Crossroads is located at 867 Lee Road 248 in Smiths Station.