Clayton's Medical West is Family Owned, Focused on Customer Education

*Editor's note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified the professional roles of Jeff and Ken Sandler. Jeff works with hospitals and agencies, while Ken is chief executive. This article has been updated to reflect their correct jobs.

resident Sylvan Sandler began his pharmacy career compounding drugs and making milkshakes. In 1955, he went on to found , a company that provides customers with medical supplies and experts who can explain how those items should be used.

"What we offer here is a lot of very specific instruction, education, training, fitting," said Dayle Sandler, one of Sylvan's three children.

She and her brothers manage different parts of the business: Dayle works in the breast prosthesis center, known as the boutique; Ken* is chief executive; and Jeff* works with hospitals and agencies, among other responsibilities.

They grew up in University City and graduated from (UCHS). Now, all of the Sandlers but Ken live in Clayton.

Sylvan Sandler graduated early from UCHS, enlisted in the Navy and worked in the medical corps. When he got out of the military, he entered and later graduated from the St. Louis College of Pharmacy. During summers, he worked with a pharmacist in the Delmar Loop.

He started his first store in East St. Louis, IL, before opening a pharmacy at the Medical West building, located at the corner of Brentwood Boulevard and Clayton Road.

He took classes to learn how to fit trusses and use other medical supplies. The company expanded to offer services in areas such as orthopedics and diabetes. He was among the first pharmacists in the U.S. to bring a nurse on staff for patients who had colon cancer and wore an ostomy bag.

He and his wife, Ruth, also operated Forsyth Drug. He filled prescriptions and made milkshakes for customers, while Ruth baked pies.

Sylvan Sandler also compounded prescriptions for eye doctors at the Eye Building on Meramec Avenue.

The company expanded to the point where it needed a new, centralized location. previously operated in the space on Brentwood Boulevard. In its early days, Medical West employed eight people.

The company no longer fills prescriptions.

"We didn't know if anyone would come," Dayle Sandler said.

But her father's idea of employing nurses and other medical experts who can work with customers has created a unique space. Employees follow his value system of helping customers make proper choices by providing clear expectations about what a product will do, she said.

For example, people can get help choosing a skin ointment that will keep garments used to manage incontinence as absorbent as possible. Those who need help walking can be empowered by choosing a cane and also protected against a fall. Medical West also helps customers learn what their insurance will cover.

The business now employs more than 100 people. It remains based in Clayton and also operates stores in and . Sylvan and Ruth are in their 80s, but they continue to drop in at the business.