Pensacola “Moms to Know”
Sponsored by: KIA AUTOSPORT OF PENSACOLA
We are grateful to our sponsor, KIA AutoSport of Pensacola, for supporting our mission of educating, encouraging, and empowering local moms through the lifelong journey of parenthood.
If you’d like to nominate someone to be featured in our Moms to Know series, contact us through the form below.
Meet McClellan Grimm
Tell us about your family. How many kids do you have? What are their ages?
I have a handsome, hard-headed husband (Steven) and a beautiful four-year-old girl (Grace). My husband and I grew up in Pensacola, and we can’t imagine anywhere else we would want to call home.
Steven is a Naval Flight Instructor and lives part-time in Meridian, MS. We make military life work and take each day as a gift from God when we can spend time together.
What do you do for a living?
I have a doctorate of pharmacy degree from Auburn University (War Eagle!). East Hill Pharmacy (EHP) is where I chose to call home. The pharmacy originated in 1976, and it will continue to serve the community of East Hill and surrounding areas for years to come. When anyone steps foot into East Hill Pharmacy, we welcome them with caring, loving, and open arms. Our goal is to improve healthcare services for our community, including medications, vaccinations, compounding, testing, treating, and counseling.
In 2020, East Hill Pharmacy began a partnership with Dr. Buffi Bailey of B Virtual Health and Wellness. Buffi and I met when she arrived to test my father for COVID. We immediately formed a connection that most people never find in a lifetime. We had a shared vision and wanted to improve patient quality of care by offering services to our community that were not being provided adequately.
Since that day in 2020, we have achieved our goals and more. You can become a patient of Dr. Bailey and see for yourself how amazing she truly is! She is available for appointments daily at the pharmacy.
As if we were not busy enough, Buffi and I decided to launch B Beautiful East Hill, a high-end medical spa, offering Hydrafacial, SkinPen, VI Peel, and more. We found our lead Master Esthetician, Tonya Holland, and she has proven to be a great addition to our team.
I would love to see East Hill Pharmacy expand to allow more room for a “Medical Health and Wellness Center” servicing East Hill and the surrounding areas.
What do you like about raising a family in Pensacola? What is challenging about raising a family here?
Community!!!! I am so proud to be a part of the Pensacola community where people genuinely help one another. I have seen this first hand during the COVID pandemic. More than ever, people around our city are supporting local businesses, which is such a great thing during these challenging times. All around Pensacola, new places have popped up – new parks, new activities, new restaurants. It makes me so proud to call this city home. We are a city that can truly show some southern hospitality.
I try to see challenges as opportunities. As a whole, the city has greatly improved welcoming new members to our community and making them feel like they can call Pensacola home. However, we would love to see a better school system through Escambia County.
What do you consider to be the greatest joy of motherhood? The greatest challenge?
The greatest joy is seeing this amazing person grow and mold into a lady. Seeing her express herself and knowing that you are someone she looks up to.
Every day there is a different challenge in motherhood. Just remember, you are not perfect and your child doesn’t expect you to be. Do not let “social media appearances” influence the type of mom you think you should be. Be your own person, mother, and your very best self.
What do you do to recharge? How do you practice self-care?
You must take care of yourself before you take care of others. Every mother must remember this! Self-care is so important, and do not feel guilty for doing it.
I love to recharge for a few days at the beach with my family. I also own a horse (well, now my daughter Grace says it is her horse!), and we love to go out and ride together. Fresh air is always relaxing and even just a few minutes can recharge you.
What is your favorite local thing to do/place to go?
Our family has always loved the water and we have all grown up boating. It is something we try to do every weekend during the summer.
What book are you reading (or listening to) right now? Do you have a favorite podcast?
I am currently listening to “Where the Crawdads Sing.” I usually do not have time to get through an entire book, so I listen in the car instead during my commute.
Also, I have been trying to understand how men think (but let’s be honest, that will never happen!), so I love listening to marital podcasts. I think that most of us could use guidance in our marriage, and many are afraid to seek help. Podcasts are a great way to get advice.
What is your favorite local business in Pensacola?
There are so many new businesses popping up in Pensacola. The staff and owners that I have had the pleasure of meeting are remarkable. I do not know how I could choose a favorite. I am a little partial to Hub Stacey’s because it is my family’s restaurant. I grew up there, and seeing my parents’ vision grow from a dream to reality when no one thought they could do it, has been a huge motivation for me.
What is your best advice for a new mom or a mom in a difficult season?
POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION is real! As a medical professional, I can’t say enough about seeking help after becoming a new mom. You are not alone; your hormones are going haywire. It is ok to seek help, whether it be through counseling, medication, or just taking some “me time.”
It will get better, no matter what. You must look at the positive side of every situation.
Remember to enjoy it; the time goes by so fast.
What is the one thing you wish you could tell ALL moms about raising kids?
All children are different. Just because a specific method or a particular book works for one child does not mean it will work for your child. Take a little advice from everything/everyone and make it your own.
Do not feel pressured by social media, family, friends, or other moms to raise your child a certain way. CHOOSE for yourself.
