CONRAD — A Conrad-based company has been working since 1973 to ensure that rural residents in towns as small as 1,000 people have access to life-saving medications and home medical care equipment.

An emphasis on providing diverse pharmacy services to its customers was part of the company’s original mission and remains so today.

NuCara Pharmacy of Conrad — population 1,082 — is celebrating its 50th anniversary, a rare feat for an independent pharmaceutical company competing against corporate giants aggressively seeking the same market share.

Since T.J. Johnsrud, founder and president, opened his single pharmacy in Conrad in 1973, he, business partners and employees have grown the company to 30 pharmacies and 11 home medical stores in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota and Texas.

Iowa leads the way with 19 pharmacies, including the flagship store in Conrad.

There are five pharmacies in Minnesota, four in North Dakota and two in Texas.

Marshalltown’s NuCara pharmacy — with a convenient drive-through feature — is in the new McFarland Medical Clinic at 421 E. Merle Hibbs Blvd.

A home medical supply store is at 219 E. Main St.

The emphasis on operating pharmacies with small populations is exemplified with operations in not only Conrad, but Ackley (pop. 1,576) Hawley, Minn. (pop. 2,233), and Lisbon, N.D. (pop. 2,190).

“We are committed to providing accessible healthcare services to all of our patients regardless of where they live,” said Brian Wegmann, CEO with 30 years of service to the company. “By having locations in small towns and rural communities, we’re able to provide vital services to those who may not have access to them otherwise.”

The two pharmacies in Texas are significant exceptions to the rural model: Austin — pop. 2,228,000, and Killeen, pop. 162,900.

Like many successful businesses, NuCara started with an entrepreneur’s idea and action plan.

Johnsrud was visiting Conrad in 1973, a rural Grundy County town with a population of slightly under 1,000, and noticed it did not have a pharmacy.

However, it did have a thriving medical practice with three physicians.

“I called Dr. Patterson (one of the three physicians) and he told me they would support me if I opened a pharmacy,” Johnsrud said.

The store was a success, and it established a foundation for a more profitable partnership with Rex McKee of Traer — owner of Wright Pharmacy — and Greg Yeakel of Story City, the owner of Yeakel Pharmacy.

The trio initially formed Pharmacy Associates LTD (PAL) and decided to add home medical care services.

To strengthen its home medical care division, NuCara purchased Des Moines-based Hammer Medical Supply in 2017. Hammer was a home medical supply business with several Iowa locations including a Marshalltown store at 219 E. Main St.

PAL would go on to purchase more pharmacies and while expanding services to nursing homes.

It also began selling medications to veterinarians for use in their practices.

The healthcare industry is constantly changing, as is the role of pharmacies.

PAL realized this and took advantage by adapting to the market and seizing new opportunities.

The company began offering infusion and compounding services to pharmacies to strengthen its base while adding new customers.

Infusion is typically medication administered intravenously that is overseen by an R.N.

It may be done in a hospital or in one’s home, said Melanie Kirkpatrick, NuCara’s marketing director. Infusion medicines are made in NuCara’s Waterloo facility.

Compounding is the practice where a product is added to make a medication taste better.

This is commonly used for children’s medications, said Kirkpatrick.

Looking to the future, Johnsrud sees pharmacies offering more services.

“The pharmacy on the street corner will be the access point for many services, “he said. “It will be an ambulatory health care destination.”

Specifically, many NuCara pharmacies — as well as their competition in communities small and large — now offer immunizations against COVID viruses, influenza, pneumonia and shingles.

Staff are trained to administer these vaccines safely and promptly.

Wegmann said he expects future growth in the company to come from home medical and respiratory services, and all will be managed out of NuCara’s corporate headquarters in Conrad, where it started 50 years ago.