Mirror photo by Walt Frank College roommates Jerry Moschgat (left) and John Jackson shake hands over the merger of their pharmaceutical businesses. Moschgat opened the first Mainline Pharmacy location in Cresson on Sept, 2, 1980, while Jackson opened Greenwood Drugs on Jan. 19, 1987.

College roommates who maintained a 48-year friendship have now joined forces in the business world.

On July 11, Greenwood Drugs merged into the Mainline Pharmacy family, enabling Greenwood Drugs to offer more services to its customers.

The merger was a product of the friendship between Jerry Moschgat, founder of Mainline Pharmacy, and John Jackson, the owner of Greenwood Drugs.

The two met at Duquesne University School of Pharmacy and became roommates.

“We have been best friends ever since,” Moschgat said. “We’ve been working together on projects over that time.”

Moschgat opened the first Mainline location in Cresson on Sept, 2, 1980, while Jackson opened Greenwood Drugs at 1663 E. Pleasant Valley Blvd. on Jan. 19, 1987, before moving to the pharmacy’s current location, 1667 Bellemeade Drive, in 1997.

“We have combined forces to make this one of Mainline Pharmacy’s 12 locations. The name has changed, but the six-member staff has remained the same,” Moschgat said.

The plans had been in the works for about five years.

“John was looking for an exit strategy, and we’re both independents, so we were a good fit. We had a lot of services he wasn’t offering such as delivery, vaccinations, a drive-thru window, diabetic shoes, EZPak compliance packaging, medication synchronization, some specialty drugs, compound drugs and online and mobile app refills. This was a good fit for John to merge with us,” Moschgat said.

“We were both independent. He was in business before me and helped me get my business started. It is good for me and my family,” said Jackson, who will continue as the pharmacist-in-charge.

Mainline has been expanding its business over the last several years.

“Mainline has been acquiring independent pharmacies to keep them independent so they aren’t acquired by the chains. We want to keep hometown pharmacies independent,” said Steve DeCriscio, chief financial officer.

“Because of acquiring them, we are able to be called “preferred” by insurance companies and able to offer better prices to our customers,” Moschgat said.

Mainline Pharmacy was a leader among area pharmacies during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We were the pharmacy that administered tens of thousands of vaccines at the Jaffa Shrine,” Moschgat said.

“In western Pennsylvania, we administered over 250,000 vaccines. It was not just in our communities, but others in southwestern Pennsylvania,” DeCriscio said.

Plans are in the works for a new building for the Greenwood business.

“Future plans are to build a new location at Pleasant Valley Boulevard and Kettle Street within the next two years. This location will move there,” Moschgat said. “The new location will offer better visibility and more traffic will pass through.”

Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.