By Christine Graf
PA Medical Supply of Queensbury has opened a second location in the Wilton Mall next to JC Penney. Both stores carry an extensive selection of home medical equipment and soft good orthotics, boasting the largest showrooms and most extensive product selections in the area.
Established in 1995, PA Medical Supply was purchased by Lake George native Michael Gipson in July 2022. Prior to purchasing the business from John Bisceglia, Gipson spent more than a decade working in medical equipment sales.
“I have been in the durable medical equipment industry for about 12 years,” he said. “I started out on the manufacturer side, selling throughout New York state. I worked for one of the largest durable medical equipment manufacturers in the world.”
After working his way up to regional manager for the Northeast, Gipson was promoted to vice president of sales for the company’s pediatric rehab division, a job that required extensive travel.
“I was traveling all over the country almost weekly, and my kids were getting to the age where school and sports were starting. I wanted to be able to stay closer to home,” he said. “I always knew I wanted to own my own business one day, and it got to the point where it was time to make a change.”
When the opportunity presented itself, Gipson purchased PA Medical, a business located just three miles from his home.
“I was a sales rep for PA Medical, and I had been talking to John for several years. When he was ready to retire, I was ready to do something different. It seemed like a logical next step,” he said.
According to Gipson, the decision to expand into Saratoga was a logical one.
“About 70 percent of our deliveries were down in Saratoga County and south of that, and I realized it made sense to be more centrally located. We even had people traveling all the way from Albany.”
When searching for a retail space, Gipson said the Wilton Mall checked all his boxes.
“I knew I wanted to move to the Saratoga area, but the rents are through the roof in Saratoga. I was looking for an affordable place with easy parking and not a lot of stairs. The mall is a good centralized location, and it seemed like it was a good spot for us to go to be centrally located with ease of access.”
According to Gipson, mall management was especially responsive, working with him to find the perfect retail space within the mall. The 4,500-square-foot space that he selected is twice the size of his flagship location at 360 Quaker Road. Both stores offer a wide array of products.
“Just about everything you can get in Queensbury, you can get in Saratoga. We have walkers, wheelchairs, beds, scooters, power chairs, and oxygen. We also have some wound care, therapeutic footwear/diabetic shoes, orthotics, tons of compression stockings and braces, and a full line of bath safety. We offer the full gamut of durable medical equipment and supplies,” he said.
PA Medical Supply also offers door-to-door delivery for scooters, wheelchairs, and other medical equipment. Daily rentals are also available.
“Almost all of our equipment is available for rent,” said Gipson. “We even meet people at the entrance to the track sometimes with a wheelchair or scooter. We can drop it off in the morning and pick it back up at night, or we can leave it at the front desk of a hotel.”
PA Medical Supply has a staff of eight employees between its two locations. All employees are well versed in the various product lines that are offered for sale.
“What we are trying to do is offer tremendous service and knowledge and information, but it’s really about the product selection,” said Gipson. “It’s about fitting the right product to the customer.”
PA Medical Supply in the Wilton Mall is open Tuesday-Friday, 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m., and Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Queensbury store is open Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (closed for lunch from 1 p.m.-1:30 p.m.)
For more information, visit www.pa-medicalsupply.com.