Photo from facebook.com/DarlingsFamily The sign above Crone’s will soon undergo a change as the Darling’s Family of Services owned store will no longer feature a pharmacy. The store’s name will be changed to Crone’s Gift and Medical Supply Store. In addition, several other pharmacies in Warren, North Warren, Youngsville, and Tidioute, as well as Bradford in McKean County, will be closing and records will be transferred to CVS Pharmacy.

Several Warren County pharmacies will be closing next week.

Darling’s Family of Services Owner Chris Darling announced on Wednesday that pharmacies in Warren, North Warren, Youngsville, and Tidioute, as well as Bradford in McKean County, will be closing.

Additional Darling pharmacies in Sugar Grove, Oil City (Venango County), and Shinglehouse (Potter County), will remain open.

CVS Pharmacy is buying the Darling records.

“Records from our Tidioute location will be transferred to CVS in Titusville and records from our Bradford location will be transferred to CVS in Bradford on Dec. 18,” Darling said in a Wednesday post. “Records from Darlings North Warren and The Youngsville Pharmacy will be transferred to CVS in Warren on Dec. 19. Records from Crone’s will be transferred to CVS in Warren on Dec. 20.”

Those records will automatically transfer on the dates listed. Patients who would like to transfer sooner or make other arrangements may contact their pharmacy before the closings.

In the case of Crone’s — open since 1959 — the store is staying open, but will no longer feature a pharmacy.

“Crone’s will stay open for medical supply,” Darling said. “We believe there’s a need in the community for medical supply: walkers, wheelchairs, bathroom safety, surgical dressings, scooters, medical clothing, braces, and any other items that will help make living in your home easier.”

“It’s amazing the amount of assisted living devices that go through the store and go out to people,” Darling said. “Our staff is really educated in helping people find those items.”

The store’s name will be changed to Crone’s Gift and Medical Supply Store, he said.

He suggested that clothing for medical personnel could soon be added to the offerings at the store.

The gift area at the front of the store and the coffee and snack bar will also stay open.

“We believe there are some opportunities,” Darling said. “We’re going to try to find some niches.”

Darling’s Sugar Grove Pharmacy will remain open.

“We house our long-term care division up there,” Darling said. “Some of those types of fees that are hurting retail right now don’t affect that line of business.”

He hopes to be able to expand in business areas that serve personal care, assisted living, and jails.

“We think there’s opportunity to grow in those areas and to do some excellent things in the Sugar Grove Community,” he said. “We’ve got a nice clientele up there.”

Darling’s “Home Care will stay open and continue to grow,” Darling said. “We’re doing some pretty amazing things.

“It’s the only 5-Star Skilled Home Care in the county,” he said. “We’ve won two national awards.”

Home Care provides “skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and medical social work to a six-county region.

“They do a really nice job and continue to grow,” Darling said. “They’re the only 24/7 on-call care in our area and the only provider of weekend visits for therapy. If someone gets discharged on a Friday, we’re there to see them on Saturday.”

“They do an amazing job and will continue to,” he said.

“We’re going to find a niche and find ways to be successful,” Darling said. “We want to be a part of people’s health care in their communities.”

“I believe that, through kindness and working hard, you can be successful,” he said. “I believe that and hope to continue that path.”

Darling expressed concerns about the employees impacted by the changes.

“We’ve got an amazing staff,” he said. “I can’t say enough nice things about each of them. I consider many of them friends.”

“We’re going to keep as many of the folks as we can,” he said. “We’re hoping that everybody lands on their feet.”

“We were able to keep some of our pharmacists,” he said. “The others do have the opportunity to interview for positions. CVS has agreed to interview all of our employees. They are looking to fill positions.”

“If there are opportunities to move people around to other places, we’re doing our best,” Darling said.

Except for those specific to the pharmacy, most of the faces at Crone’s will remain the same, he said.

“I want to thank the community for the support we have received over the years at all of our locations,” Darling said. “We have been blessed with truly remarkable team members and kindness from the customers that we love. While our business is changing, so is health care, we will continue to work to deliver outstanding service at our pharmacy locations is Sugar Grove, Shinglehouse, and Oil City. We will continue to work hard to find unique viable ways to service the health care needs of the people we call family and friends. I assure you these decisions are never made lightly.”