BY MATT CAPUTO
PHOTO: ANDRÉ BEGANSKI
Dr. Trevor Latchminarain, RPh, is relatively new to the Maspeth area. But in a short time, the pharmacist operating Grand Care Pharmacy (inside of Key Food at 66-56 Grand Ave.) says he has felt right at home.“I came to Maspeth in July of 2019 for an opportunity to own and operate my own pharmacy and I immediately loved the community,” Latchminarain said. “Everyone knew each other and it reminded me of the neighborhood I grew up in.”
A Queens native, Latchminarain studied at St. John’s University and graduated in 2009. From 2006 to 2016, Latchminarain learned the craft working at Duane Reade as a pharmacy technician, intern, and eventually a pharmacist. He’s worked as a pharmacist for more than 10 years in hospitals, nursing homes, and retail chains as a supervising pharmacist.
It took a while for Maspeth residents to find the little drug store in the front corner of the supermarket. But when they did, many say they met a hardworking and dedicated professional in the midst of a public health crisis.
According to several accounts, Latchminarain and his staff at Grand Care Pharmacy worked tirelessly during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pharmacist personally called thousands of local residents to ensure that vital doses of the vaccine were distributed to the community and not wasted. According to his records, Latchminarain conducted over 10,000 COVID-19 tests and dispensed 4,600 vaccines to date.
“Trevor is just lovely. He helped our family avoid the long waits to get tested and vaccinated elsewhere,” said Patricia Caputo, a nearby resident who shops at the Key Food. “He wanted anyone who wanted to be vaccinated to know they could make an appointment to see him; and I lost track of how many people he helped whom I know.”
Grand Care is also making an effort to carve out a place within the neighborhood. Recently, the pharmacy made a donation which benefited the Martin Luther School’s student relief fund. Recently, Grand Care set up a weekend testing and vaccination site in the parking lot of the Maspeth school. “Trevor Has provided much needed funds to help support our students at Martin Luther school,” said Jim Regan, Martin Luther’s Executive Director. “As a member of the community he provided much needed services during the COVID-19 pandemic providing opportunities, along with Martin Luther, for testing and vaccinations.”
Latchminarain says he’s in the process of joining the Maspeth Chamber of Commerce and he hopes that getting to know his neighbors will help him administer more personalized care. “One of the biggest issues we see is that patients don’t understand the medications they are prescribed,” Latchminarain said. “We work together with other providers to deliver personalized care to each patient to make sure they know what is being prescribed and why.”
Besides selling over-the-counter medication, daily vitamins, and CBD products, Grand Care Pharmacy is a full-service operation. They offer vaccinations for influenza, pneumonia, and shingles. They also carry pet medications and offer home delivery and blister packaging.
“Working out of a supermarket like Key Food has several benefits,” Latchminarain said, “I feel like we have been able to help out the neighborhood during these rough months because we were always here and easy to reach. We hope to continue doing as much as we can in the future.”
Visit Dr. Trevor Latchminarain at Grand Care Pharmacy at 66-56 Grand Ave., Maspeth, NY, 11378 (718-446-6656) or browse grandcarerx.com.
