Arielle Collins provides boutique-style pharmaceutical work across Loreauville with Village Pharmacy.

Collins takes after her mother, Savitra Antoine-Collins, who has worked as a pharmacist for over 40 years and opened her own independent pharmacy in Jeanerette 20 years ago. Their drive to serve the community came from Collins’ grandmother, Mae Willa Antoine, who worked as a healer around Loreauville. People from around the community requested her aid when looking for an old-fashioned or all-natural solution to their ailments. Collins, her mother and her aunt, Lora Antoine, all graduated from Xavier University as pharmacists.

Although her grandmother didn’t live to see Collins earn her pharmacy degree, Collins honored her by opening her own pharmacy where it all started, Loreauville. For three years, the Village Pharmacy stood alone as the sole independent pharmacy for Loreauville after Leleux’s Pharmacy closed. Collins’ primary jobs at the pharmacy are overseeing her staff, verifying prescriptions, and her favorite, working directly with patients.

How long have you been in business?

We opened in 2021, in the middle of the pandemic, and we are celebrating our three-year anniversary Jan. 18.

What made you want to start your own business?

Putting the patients first. Basically without the patients, I wouldn’t have a business. So I’m really big on customer service, I’m really big on personal relationships. I want to set apart from chain pharmacies, just in the sense that when I worked for chains, I would kind of feel guilty at times when I had an older patient, someone who doesn’t have a sense of understanding questions they may have, and I had to kind of rush through explaining things. You know, making it quick and short, when I would like to have more time, but with the pace, the phone calls, the needs, I just couldn’t put the time I wanted into the patient care. But now I have complete control, where even if I am backed up, I feel that it’s more important to have that conversation or relationship especially when I have patients that are on new mood medications, depression medications, that are going through a divorce or they lost a parent. Everyone is going through their own challenges so for me, having a smaller pharmacy, I want to feel like we’re a family and we’re in a town that’s a village. So for me it really does take a village, all of the time to get through life. Even with starting a family, and having a better schedule and having flexibility, I wanted to be there as a parent. Just think about the change, because I worked at these big stores, so I know how they run, and starting my own pharmacy gave me the opportunity to explore new challenges and approach the business a whole different way.

What have been the challenges you faced starting and growing your pharmacy?

The biggest thing was opening in the midst of a pandemic. I was an essential worker, but I wasn’t ‘essentially established’, so I had to figure out how to be innovative; be mindful and make wise business decisions because I’m needed, but there are already many places already established. They have the Walgreens, they have the CVS’s. I’m getting my feet wet with a big risk because a lot of companies, insurance providers, contract agreements that I needed to have in place to even process prescriptions were closed or their phones were not working, or their numbers changed. It was a lot of waiting around to see how we’d get through the next hurdle.

What is your favorite memory from your time in business?

My favorite memory was the fact that when I opened my business I was pregnant and I was very nervous about the pandemic, like where would I put my daughter. I was really worried about her being safe and not catching the virus and getting sick and if she’s sick, I would have to be down. So I love the fact that for the first two years, I was able to have an environment where she was able to be here. As my baby grew, my business baby was growing too.

If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?

Life is just so short. Try not to fret the small things and kind of look at the bigger picture, so stay focused and work with a level head.

If money was no object, what other programs or businesses would you start in Iberia Parish? Why?

First, something with financial literacy. I’ve noticed that people from various walks of life sometimes have issues with managing their money and that’s a big deal for our economy and there are professional people, there are people that are self employed. Sometimes people struggle with managing their finances no matter how much money they make or have, so I think something as small as a program with CPAs and accountants teaching people how to manage their household and living within their means. I’d also like something for the youth. I realize lately, over the past few years, a lot of crime and violence amongst adolescents and the youth. I’d like more programs and mentorships for children that might not have the support they need at home. There can be people in the community that they trust to guide them through life to be a positive person in society. They’re our future and there are so many different things they could be involved with.

Would you recommend business ownership/entrepreneurship to others? Why or why not?

I do and I don’t. I do always encourage ownership, no matter what it may be; your business, your home or your car. But a lot of times there’s pros, but also a lot of cons. So if you’re a person that’s not very self-motivated, if you need to always have a certain structure, and you’re not very organized or disciplined, having your own business, I don’t recommend. A lot of unforeseen things happen so you have to be adaptable and you have to find ways to make it happen when you think it can’t happen. If you’re not that type of person, I don’t recommend starting in entrepreneurship. I recommend working for someone and seeing the structure and ins-and-outs of it first.

What does Black History Month mean to you?

To me, Black History Month is a month that I think people should be more aware of the culture of our people, whether it be the history, the roots and how we are here. Appreciating how impactful, powerful and very influential leaders were, and seeing how far we’ve come as a people. There were certain things we couldn’t do as a people whether it’s vote or be integrated into schools. Every day is black history for me because I’m living the dream, I feel like I’m living my ancestors’ dreams, being a black woman and being able to work and vote, we’ve come so far. I’m proud to be a black woman, because I don’t think my grandmother ever dreamed to see me where I’m at now. So just kind of being appreciative of our culture, our music, our hair, our clothes and our food; our culture and what it brings to the world. Black history is worldwide.

What do you consider to be the biggest challenge facing the Black Community today?

I think there are certain resources that may not be available in certain communities, and just having that mentorship. A lot of black families and homes are broken, whether it be a parent or income. We as a people are trying to get over the hump, so something needs to be changed systematically to me. I think we need to come together to figure out what needs resources, whether it’s financial, educational or in the jail system.