Hilltop Drugs Etc. Under New Ownership

Earlier this year, Mark Vogt bought Hilltop Drugs Etc., located at 108 W 11th St in Neligh, to help keep small town businesses alive.

“My mission is to try keep independent stores going,” Vogt said. “With my multiple locations (I own), I have the buying power to help them to survive. Otherwise, it’s really hard as a stand-alone to survive now.”

Vogt, who purchased the pharmacy from founders Jami Schmidt and Koryn Koinzan, has owned several pharmacies after graduating from the Med Center in Omaha in 1993. Schmidt has remained a pharmacist at Hilltop Drugs Etc.

“I’ve owned up to 20 stores at one time between Nebraska and Iowa,” Vogt added. “I currently own 12 stores between the two states. This store is a thriving business that I want to see keep going.”

Coming from a small town growing, Vogt has a passion for keeping local businesses going and loves seeing them succeed.

“I’m really big into small towns,” Vogt said. “I grew up in Arlington, Nebraska and I really like small towns. It wasn’t the town (Neligh) that drew me here.  It was the town being a small town in Nebraska that really drew me here.”

Despite being a new owner, Vogt will continue the same great service that had been a staple for Hilltop Drugs Etc. for the last 10 years.

“We’re not planning on a lot of big changes,” Vogt concluded. “They’ve done a great job running it, so there won’t be a lot of changes. We may add a few little things, more services, immunizations and that kind of stuff. It’s not going to change a whole lot. It will still be similar to what they had in the past.”
​
The pharmacy is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.