Friday, April 11, 2008

Just what does "Open 24 Hours" mean anyway?

So, I have a pharmacy that I usually go to in my neighborhood. But, on holidays, during Ramadan, and on Fridays, I go over to Pharmacy 1 because I can count on them being open, right? Well, today MemeBean needed some medicine and I went over to the somewhat convenient P1 in Swefieh. Do you think they are open? No, apparently, open 24 hours has a large exception at this location. They closed today during Friday prayers. So, after some time waiting for ANYONE to respond from inside the store, the guard finally came over and said they're at prayer.

Don't get me wrong, I'm perfectly happy to see the faithful go to prayer, but don't call yourself a 24 Hour pharmacy. Call yourself a "sometimes 24 hour pharmacy" or a "when we feel like it 24 hour pharmacy." And while we're at it, why is it that Jordan makes no use whatsoever of the advantage it has in having a diverse population? The Christian population is not small here, so why not (gasp!) hire Christians to work on Fridays (and during Ramadan) and give them Sundays off. What a win/win that would be. And yet, I haven't seen any establishments to date that do this. Even Christian bookstores and such are closed on Friday. I'm sorry, but to me, that's silly. Enough ranting on this topic, but I demand truth in advertising. Pharmacy1, shape up or ship out!

Happy false promises!

19 Comments:

At 3:40 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I hear you Mamma bean, I wrote about this in arabic a while ago and was charged with blaspheme.
Work is a form of warship for Muslims but some just restrict warship to going to the mosque.
However, for friday prayers in specific, there's a "go to prayers, and leave trading" specific clause. So it's kind-of like the jewish sabath.

Anyway, Why not hire a christian to work on these days as you said? Totally a win-win in my book

 
At 5:33 AM , Blogger Moey said...

Some companies do Mommabean, the one I work for, work on weekends and we take sunday's off, sipping me coffee now!

 
At 6:42 AM , Blogger Hani Obaid said...

Better yet hire an atheist, we can work Christmas, Eid, even Saturdays :)

 
At 7:24 AM , Blogger MommaBean said...

Thanks Q. Moey, nice-ish. But are you at least getting a weekend of some sort?

Oooh, Hani nice idea...

 
At 4:14 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

MommaBean, we must have gone to the same Pharmacy 1 at the same time yesterday. I found them closed, as well (the gate was halfway closed). And it's not the first time I've run into this problem with them.

 
At 9:53 AM , Blogger MommaBean said...

Dave, we were SOOO at the same one (what's the deal with the half ope gate? I was tempted just to duck underneath it :). They used to be my go-to location. I used them routinely in Ramadan in past years. After Friday, I'll save myself the trip and go on over to Cozmo...

 
At 6:22 AM , Blogger Ali Dahmash said...

Haha I laughed alot at "sometimes open 24 hours pharmacy" I went once to Pharmacy 1 on a friday but I think after the noon prayers and it was closed and I had to buy sun oil;)

 
At 12:53 PM , Blogger amjad aryan said...

The jordanian health authorities force pharmacies even 24 hours pharmacies to close for 1 day per week( 8am to 5pm). this law is 30 years old. call the MOH to change this old law

 
At 4:37 AM , Blogger LOUR said...

Having pharmacies working 24/7 in Amman is a must. According to the Jordanian health law pharmacies must close one day a week. These laws are outdated and they go as far as 1970. We can't really blame pharmacy one for complying with the regulations! Can we? That would be unfair! I believe we all love to enjoy the exceptional service that pharmacy one offers across all their 30 branches. Do you know that they have branches in Irbid, Zarqa and Aqaba?
I think you should direct your speech to the ministry of health momabean.

 
At 6:26 AM , Blogger MommaBean said...

Amjad and Lour, thanks for your comments. Apparently, however, there is a workaround on this one. As far as I'm aware, Pharmacy One's 24 hour pharmacies do not close. if they do, then it's not on a day I've ever tried to shop there. My issue is not with them closing for a whole day, but rather them representing themselves as not closing and then closing. Again, I've gone to this same location at 6pm during Ramadan. I know most Pharmacies close one day a week, but it appears to me that not all do.

 
At 4:53 AM , Blogger Random Thoughts said...

I would like to emphasize on the point that the Jordanian ministry of health force all pharmacies including the 24 hours operating ones to close for one day. the closing day has nothing to do with the prayer time, it is just the law, and pharmacy 1 complies with it.

and by the way on the board outside the pharmacy the closing day is stated clearly, and if you call them they will tell you their working hours and off days

 
At 5:05 AM , Blogger LOUR said...

Yes mommabean , not all pharmacies close one day a week. These pharmacies claim that they close on Fridays, but they don't! You know why? cause the ministry of health inspectors don't work Fridays. Have a good day :)

 
At 1:10 AM , Blogger MommaBean said...

Thanks Dina and Lour. I haven't seen the signs stating the hours (if it's in Arabic, it wouldn't do me any good and if not somehow I've missed it). And, I have no issue with pharmacies closing one day a week, but on a day when you are not closed and call yourself 24 hours, closing produces false advertising...

 
At 4:28 AM , Blogger Hani Obaid said...

mommabean your plea probably reached the right people!

I believe Aryan family owns P1.

There are some nice things about living in a small country.

 
At 12:17 AM , Blogger MommaBean said...

Hani, good news, man. And there are many, many nice things about living in small country.

 
At 9:44 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

pay back the money you took from the Palestinians family Amjad.

 
At 10:54 AM , Blogger MommaBean said...

Anon, Sorry have no clue what you are talking about. I have not taken any money from "the Palestinians family." We are a Palestinian family, so would you care to be more specific?

 
At 9:47 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Pharmacy One Owners took the palestinians money, that's how they became so rich. Amjad Aryan

 
At 2:00 AM , Blogger Unknown said...

very nice :0 24hrs pharmacy

 

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