Local pharmacy patrons will soon have to go elsewhere to get their medication.

Lehan Drugs, 203 E. Lincoln Hwy., which has been open since 1946, is planning to move the pharmacy part of its downtown location to Sycamore Road sometime early next year.

According to Jim Lehan, president of Lehan Drugs, Inc., Lehan’s is taking advantage of the opportunity of moving to 10,000 square feet of what was formerly Perry Drugs, 1714 Sycamore Road.

Lehan said the primary reason for the move is the bigger location. He said that the move also is “better for (Lehan Drugs) in relationship to increasing business.”

Other advantages, he said, are more parking spaces, more product lines and a new pharmacy consultation service, all in a busier section of DeKalb.

The pharmacy consultation service is for those customers who are taking more than one medication. Lehan said the pharmacists will work with these customers to help balance food and drug schedules, as well as try to help decrease the customers’ medication bills by reducing dosages of their medication.

As for the fate of the downtown store, the pharmacy in the location will definitely be moved to the Sycamore Road location, but it has not been decided whether the downtown store will remain open, he said.

Lehan said that he doesn’t believe that the moving of the downtown store will affect business with the NIU community. He said students can patronize Lehan Kampus Korner, 901 Lucinda Ave., or Lehan’s at the 1407 Fourth St. location.