From the outside, Tamaqua's Rite Aid Drug Store looks pretty much the same as it has since the company merged with the former Eckerd Drugs.

But once you step inside, the changes become obvious.As you enter through the sliding glass doors, it's more than just the bright lighting, widened aisles, highly polished floors, low profile shelves and the focus on the pharmacy.Now, you're greeted by Wellness Ambassador Kyra Dale, who will do her best to help you get the most out of your visit as the company focuses on the health of the community."The new format is all about wellness and prevention," explains Dale, whose job is to act as a liaison for the customer."Rite Aid is becoming more proactive about our customers' health. We've expanded our services to include community outreach programs, such as holding immunization clinics and health seminars at workplaces and elderly housing complexes."She can also make it easier for customers to become Wellness Plus or Wellness 65 members, signing them up immediately for all the perks and rewards, or showing them how to manage their health online.The Tamaqua location now also has a consultation room, where people can meet privately with a pharmacist or Dale to discuss their health and medications; and a "higi" unit which can provide immediate screenings for blood pressure, pulse, weight and body mass index."The store has been designed to be user friendly," says Rite Aid District Manager Marty Stockman."Our goal is to become more than a drugstore, to become a destination for wellness. Our pharmacists will help you keep track of your medication and be available to discuss any concerns."That's not to say that the store is all about the pharmacy aspect. Shoppers will find a large selection of natural and organic food items, gluten-free products, and a dollar shop as well as over the counter medications and a variety of health, wellness and grooming products.Early historyPharmacy is a health profession related to the science of preparing and dispensing drugs, linking health and chemical sciences. Pharmacists are health care professionals, experts in drug therapy, both herbal and chemical, and the compounding and dispensing of medications. They've studied the actions and reactions of particular drugs as well as the effects these drugs have on the human body.The science has been traced back to the ancient Egyptians and ancient Greeks, who studied the medicinal properties of plants. The simple recipes from those days has grown tremendously to today's complex chemicals.The mortar and pestle has become the internationally recognized sign of a pharmacist.Rite Aid was established as a single store in 1962 in Scranton by Alex Grass. The first store was a health and beauty aids store, without a pharmacy, called Thrif D Discount Center. Officially named Rite Aid in 1968, the company has since grown to be the largest chain on the East Coast and the third largest chain in the United States.The futureRite Aid plans to eventually turn all of its drug stores into wellness centers. Stockman notes Tamaqua is the 12th such center in his district."We need to do more to take care of our customers, whether it's help them understand and manage their prescriptions or help them stay healthy in the first place. It's all about the community."