Island mourns passing of Stonington pharmacist
Future of Seaside Pharmacy, the Island’s only drug store, remains unknown
Seaside Pharmacy in Stonington. Photo by Jenna Lookner.
By Jenna Lookner
THE ISLAND — The owner and pharmacist at Seaside Pharmacy, a Stonington institution and the Island’s only pharmacy, passed away suddenly on Thursday, October 16, according to the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, one of the responders to the sudden passing of Douglas Edinger, 70.
The sudden loss has left many grieving a beloved community member, and uncertainty about the future of the local pharmacy.
“All of us at the Town offer our most sincere condolences to Doug's family,” said Linda Nelson, Stonington’s economic and community development director. “In a small town like ours, losing an individual is often a double shock, as with them often goes an important business or service. This certainly may be the case in this instance as Doug ran the pharmacy independently.”
Edinger moved to Stonington from Ohio approximately two decades ago according to a 2024 article in The Portland Press Herald. Edinger operated Seaside Pharmacy as the owner and sole pharmacist—with family assisting as technicians—according to the same news article.
“I am sad to hear of Doug’s passing and feel for his family and friends,” said Stonington Town Manager Kathleen Billings. “Losing a pharmacy is a hard blow to our island’s economy and community, and Doug and his family certainly filled that critical health care need.”
Penny Vaillancourt, the director of the Maine Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation, which oversees numerous agencies including the Maine Board of Pharmacy, said the board "does not have a direct role” in what happens next to the pharmacy.
Vaillancourt added, however, that according to state regulation, a retail pharmacy “shall immediately cease filling and dispensing prescription drug orders…until a replacement pharmacist arrives at the pharmacy.”
Seaside Pharmacy is independently operated. If it remains closed, the closest pharmacies for Stonington residents are in Blue Hill, approximately 23 miles away.
On Friday morning at 8 a.m., Seaside Pharmacy sat empty, with the word “Closed” handwritten in red marker on a paper sign taped to the service window. The pharmacy’s recorded phone message remained unchanged at noon on Friday.
“I am afraid it will be hard to find a person as dedicated and independent to serving that health care service like he did,” Billings said of Edinger.
Vaillancourt, the state official, said that she has heard there may be offers of assistance in the works.
“It is my understanding that another pharmacy is attempting to assist by providing a pharmacist to help Seaside Pharmacy in the interim,” she said in an email. “But the Board has not yet received confirmation of that effort.”
Vaillancourt said that if the Board of Pharmacy receives calls from people about how to navigate getting their prescriptions, the agency would direct them to contact their primary care physician.
Amelia Arnold, the vice president of operations at Community Pharmacies, a group of pharmacist-owned community drug stores in Maine, said that there are significant procedural steps in an event of this nature, and navigating it can be difficult.
“There’s not a playbook when this happens,” she said. “It’s devastating.”
Community Pharmacies has nine locations in Maine, with the nearest one in Bucksport. Their website describes their commitment to small communities, which was echoed by Arnold.
“If someone finds themselves without medication that they need, I would encourage them to call [Community Pharmacy] in Bucksport,” she said. “I know it’s a long drive, but we are committed to doing everything we can to help.”
Pharmacies in Blue Hill include the Hannaford Pharmacy and Walgreens Pharmacy.
A sign in the window on Friday at Seaside Pharmacy. Photo by Jenna Lookner.
