Hieber's Pharmacy

What Hieber's Pharmacy does

Hieber's Pharmacy, operating under Mihalko Medical, LLC, is a women-owned independent compounding and full-service pharmacy based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded around 1860 as Hieber's Drug Store in the Strip District and formally established as a pharmacy in 1876, it is positioned as Pittsburgh's oldest continuously operating pharmacy. The company is owned by Rosemary Sassic-Mihalko, PharmD, who acquired the business on April 1, 2019, becoming the first female owner in its history. The team comprises approximately eight staff members, including four pharmacists, a sterile compounding lab manager, and pharmacy technicians, operating from a single location at 1759 Smallman Street in the Terminal Building after relocating from Oakland in early 2024.

The core offering combines traditional prescription dispensing with custom non-sterile and sterile medication compounding, producing topical creams, oral suspensions, capsules, injectables, eye drops, nasal sprays, and weight loss preparations. Adjacent clinical services include CLIA-certified diagnostic testing (flu, Strep A/B, COVID-19, metabolic and hormone panels), immunizations (flu, COVID-19, shingles) with in-home and on-site workplace clinic options, and medication therapy management. A traditional soda fountain selling carbonated beverages, milkshakes, and ice cream using Leona's lactose-free ice cream and Barmy Soda Co. syrups was added in 2024 alongside retail consignment of local maker products. The Fountain & Pharmacy Club membership at $129.50/year or $12.95/month provides cost-plus prescription pricing, a free annual medication review valued at over $80, monthly fountain perks, and priority vaccine access.

Hieber's revenue model is hybrid: transactional prescription fees and insurance billing for retail dispensing, professional services fees for compounding and clinical services, transactional revenue from the soda fountain and local maker consignment, and recurring subscription revenue from the membership program. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on word-of-mouth, local earned media (Pittsburgh Magazine Best of the 'Burgh for at least three consecutive years through 2026), Instagram and Facebook presence, email newsletters, and in-person service. The customer base is concentrated exclusively in the Pittsburgh metro, with no enterprise or institutional accounts, making the business highly dependent on local foot traffic and community brand equity.

Name

Hieber's Pharmacy

Legal name

Mihalko Medical, LLC

Website

https://hiebers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1876

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hieber's Pharmacy is a women-owned independent compounding and full-service pharmacy in Pittsburgh's Strip District, serving local community members with custom sterile and non-sterile medication compounding, prescription dispensing, immunizations, CLIA-certified testing, and a traditional soda fountain.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Pharmacy / Compounding Pharmacy Services

NAICS

Pharmacies and Drug Retailers (456110)

SIC

Retail-Drug Stores And Proprietary Stores (5912)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Pharmacies (Complex/High-Cost Therapies) (HLAFALAC)

Keywords

• Compounding pharmacy services
• Prescription dispensing
• Medication therapy management
• Immunization services
• Diagnostic testing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Prescription Services: Traditional prescription filling services with insurance billing and cost-plus pricing options. Core pharmacy revenue stream.
2. Compounding Services: Custom medication compounding for patients with unique health needs. Includes both sterile and non-sterile preparations.
3. Membership Program: Fountain & Pharmacy Club membership offering exclusive prescription pricing, shipping discounts, priority vaccine access, and soda fountain perks. $129.50/year or $12.95/month.
4. Immunizations & Testing: Vaccination services (flu, COVID-19, shingles) and CLIA-certified diagnostic testing.
5. Soda Fountain: Traditional soda fountain serving carbonated beverages, milkshakes, ice cream. Uses Leona's ice cream (lactose-free options), in-house carbonation, and local syrups from Barmy Soda Co.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hieber's Pharmacy is a women-owned compounding and full-service community pharmacy in Pittsburgh that prepares custom non-sterile and sterile medications, dispenses prescriptions, administers immunizations, and provides CLIA-certified diagnostic testing. The pharmacy also operates a traditional soda fountain and a paid membership program offering cost-plus prescription pricing and ancillary perks.

Product overview

Hieber's Pharmacy is a women-owned compounding and full-service pharmacy serving Pittsburgh since 1860. The company operates a unified pharmacy model centered on medication compounding (non-sterile and sterile), prescription filling, immunizations, and CLIA-certified testing services. The pharmacy added a soda fountain component in 2024 as part of its expansion, creating a nostalgic customer experience. An optional membership program called Fountain & Pharmacy Club provides cost-plus pricing advantages, free monthly beverages, and medication review services as an add-on to core pharmacy services. The product portfolio integrates compounding expertise with traditional pharmacy services and community-focused retail dining.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Medication Compounding Customized medication preparation combining pure materials to create unique formulations tailored to individual patient health needs, including topical creams, ointments, oral suspensions, suppositories, capsules, lollipops, injections, eye drops, and nasal sprays. Available in both non-sterile and sterile preparations.
• Immunizations Vaccination services including flu, shingles, and COVID-19 vaccines, available by appointment or walk-in. Also offers in-home and on-site workplace and community group vaccination clinics.
• Testing Services CLIA-certified on-site diagnostic testing including drug screening urinalyses, flu tests, Strep A/B tests, COVID-19 tests, and comprehensive metabolic and hormone tests.
• Prescription Filling Full-service prescription dispensing with most major insurance plans accepted, medication therapy management, cost-plus generic pricing, and prescription transfer services.
• Soda Fountain Traditional soda fountain serving carbonated beverages, milkshakes, ice cream, and floats, made with in-house carbonated drinks, Leona's lactose-free ice cream, and locally made syrups from Barmy Soda Co.
• Fountain & Pharmacy Club Membership Paid membership program offering cost-plus prescription pricing, free monthly hand-crafted pop, complimentary birthday milkshake, free annual 30-minute medication review (valued over $80), shipping discounts, and early access to vaccines and events. Yearly at $129.50 or monthly at $12.95 with a 6-month commitment.
• Injectables and Sterile Compounded Medications Weight loss preparations and preservative-free sterile compounded injectables produced in the pharmacy's sterile compounding laboratory.
• Skin and Hair Compounded Products Dermatological compounding products for skin and hair care, including sterile compounding options such as custom topical formulations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free annual medication review valued at $80+ included with membership
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Leona's Ice CreamminorOthersLocal Pittsburgh ice cream supplier providing full dairy, lactose-free ice cream for the soda fountain. Partnership provides premium ingredients that support the pharmacy's focus on quality and local sourcing.
• Barmy Soda Co.minorOthersPittsburgh-based small-batch syrup maker providing specialty syrups for the soda fountain. Supports the pharmacy's commitment to local, artisanal products.
• ToraniminorOthersSyrup brand used at the soda fountain alongside house-made and local Barmy Soda Co. options.
• Local Makers (PSquare Scents, PGH Amy Studio, Soulful Stitches, Songbird Artistry)minorOthersLocal artisans and makers whose products are sold in the pharmacy store, supporting the local community and providing unique gift options for customers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• CVS Pharmacy: Largest US retail pharmacy chain offering prescriptions, vaccinations, and MinuteClinic services. Comparable on core dispensing and immunization, but operates a national standardized model rather than Hieber's community-based compounding and personalized care.
• Amazon Pharmacy: Mail-order pharmacy integrated with Amazon's Prime delivery infrastructure. Represents a structural competitive threat to community pharmacies like Hieber's on commodity prescriptions, though it does not offer compounding or in-person care.
• Walgreens: National retail pharmacy chain offering prescription dispensing, vaccinations, and basic health services. Directly competes with Hieber's for prescription and immunization customers in Pittsburgh, but at vastly broader scale and with a standardized model rather than community-led compounding.
• Rite Aid: Regional retail pharmacy chain with strong Mid-Atlantic and Pennsylvania presence. Directly competes with Hieber's on prescription volume and immunizations in the Pittsburgh market.

Direct peers

• Good Neighbor Pharmacy: Independent pharmacy network affiliated with AmerisourceBergen. Closely comparable business model—independent community pharmacy offering compounding, MTM, and immunization services in a localized market.
• Health Mart: McKesson-owned network of independent community pharmacies. Closely comparable to Hieber's as an independent pharmacy offering personalized service, clinical programs, and compounding-adjacent services to a similar SMB/community customer base.
• Genoa Healthcare: Specialty and behavioral-health focused pharmacy operating within clinics and community mental health centers. Comparable to Hieber's as a specialty pharmacy serving complex medication needs through a personalized, service-led model.

Emerging players

• Capsule: Digital-first pharmacy offering free same-day prescription delivery and a concierge experience. Emerging competitor for prescription customers in Pittsburgh's urban core, with a technology-driven model contrasting Hieber's community-led in-person approach.
• Alto Pharmacy: Tech-enabled mail-order and same-day delivery pharmacy. Competes with Hieber's on prescription fulfillment convenience for urban Pittsburgh customers, though it lacks compounding and in-person clinical services.

Regional players

• University Compounding Pharmacy: Independent compounding pharmacy focused on customized prescriptions. Comparable to Hieber's for compounding services—particularly sterile preparations and dermatology compounds—though operating in a different regional market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/hieberspharmacy
• Instagraminstagram.com/hieberspharmacy?utm_source=qr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hieber's Pharmacy