Drug Store News articles from December 2001

Drug Store News archives from December 2001

CVS. (Newsbites).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 19, 2001... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS is installing more than 4000 smart card-enabled card payment terminals in more than 450 CVS locations. CVS will deploy the Hypercom ICE 6000 terminals in the first quarter of 2002. The terminals will combine several...

Toys "R" Us gift cards. (Newsbites).(Brief Article)
December 19, 2001... DEERFIELD, III. -- In time for the holidays, Walgreens is offering Toys "R" Us gift cards at all Walgreen locations across the United States Last month, Walgreens started offering Payless ShoeSource gift cards as well.

Total Benefit Solutions. (Newsbites).(Brief Article)
December 19, 2001... KIRKLAND, Wash. -- Total Benefit Solutions, based here, this week launched a new discount prescription drug program, known as Well Rx. The plan, open to residents throughout the Pacific Northwest, offers members up to 40 percent off their...

Snyder Drug Store. (Newsbites).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 19, 2001... MINNETONKA, Minn.-- Snyder's Drug Stores has begun development of a new prototype store to be built in Savage, Minn. The 12,500-square-foot store will feature expanded traditional drug store categories, a drive-through pharmacy, and one-hour...

AmericanGreetings.com. (Newsbites).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 19, 2001... CLEVELAND - AmericanGreetings.com is charging a fee for holiday, birthday and other special occasion cards online, according to a report. AmericanGreetings.com is charging customers $11.95 a year to unlimited use of e-greetings for holidays,...

Joint venture SureScript Systems appoints first CEO.(David Weinstein)(Brief Article)
December 19, 2001... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- SureScript Systems, Inc., a new venture formed to provide direct electronic communications between prescribers and pharmacists, has selected David Weinstein--a co-founder and former chief executive officer of eScript, a...

Albertson's ups ante on Acme stores, California market.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 19, 2001... BOISE, Idaho - Albertson's, which is in the midst of a restructuring plan that involves the closure of 165 stores and is selling 80 Osco Drug units to Brooks Pharmacy f or $240 million, appears to remain on the fast-track as it boosts capital...

Pharmacist shortage legislation hits Senate floor.(Brief Article)
December 19, 2001... WASHINGTON -- Legislation to help alleviate a severe and still-growing shortage of pharmacists has hit the floor of the U.S. Senate, and pharmacy leaders are hoping the bill will draw new attention to a critical problem. Three...

Wal-Mart settlement resolves disability suit.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 19, 2001... WASHINGTON -- A federal judge on Monday approved a $6.8 million settlement of a discrimination lawsuit involving retail giant Wal-Mart and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. "This agreement is the result of months of...

Kroger to bring Food4Less to Chicago market.(Brief Article)
December 19, 2001... CINCINNATI -- Supermarket chain Kroger is bringing Food4Less to the Chicago market, the retailer announced in a recent conference call with analysts. Kroger will open three to five Food4Less stores in Chicago next year. Food4Less stores...

Andrx, Genpharm share generic Prilosec marketing.(Brief Article)
December 19, 2001... WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration reported that generic drug makers Andrx and Genpharm will share the 180-day period of marketing exclusivity for 10 mg and 20 mg generic Prilosec (omeprazole) after AstraZeneca exhausts its last...

CVS signs 15-year lease for new Manhattan unit.(Brief Article)
December 19, 2001... NEW YORK -- CVS has signed a 15-year lease for a new store here in midtown Manhattan. A sign in the window of the new store at 630 Lexington Ave. states that a CVS/pharmacy is "coming soon." The store is slated to open next month. The...

Michigan Blue Cross gives generic Rx coupons.(Brief Article)
December 19, 2001... DETROIT -- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is giving out coupons for free generic drugs as part of a larger plan to wean members off higher priced brand name medications. Letters will be mailed to 7,000 BCBSM members inviting them to...

Rite Aid. (Financials).(senior secured notes)(Brief Article)
December 19, 2001... CAMP HILL, Pa -- Rite Aid has extended its offers to holders of $21.879 million (aggregate principal amount) worth of its 10.5 percent senior secured notes due 2002 and $150 million worth of its 11.25 percent senior secured notes due 2008 to...

Moody's investors Service. (Financials).(Brief Article)
December 19, 2001... TROY, Mich. -- Moody's investors Service has cut Kmart's senior unsecured debt rating to junk status, a report stated. Moody's cut Kmart's senior unsecured debt rating two notches to "Ba2," its second highest junk grade, from "Baa3." The...

Costco earnings. (Financials).(first quarter, ending Nov. 25)(Brief Article)
December 19, 2001... ISSAQUAH, Wash. -- Costco's earnings were flat in the first quarter, but membership fees rose 23 percent from a year ago to $169.5 million and same-store sales rose 5 percent. Income for the period ended Nov. 25 was 129.7 million, or 28...

drkoop.com. (Financials).(files for bankruptcy)(Brief Article)
December 19, 2001... SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- drkoop.com is filing for bankruptcy under Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. The company's efforts to obtain additional funding proved unsuccessful, forcing it to liquidate all assets. Stockholders will...

Mylan Laboratories. (Financials).(3rd quarter earnings expectations)(Brief Article)
December 19, 2001... PITTSBURGH -- Mylan Laboratories expects higher third quarter earnings than previously thought because of strong generic drug sales. Mylan first predicted earnings of 38 cents to 40 cents a share, but now expects closer to 54 cents to 56...

Ritzman Pharmacies. (Newsbites).(two relocations)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2001... WADSWORTH, Ohio -- Ritzman Pharmacies has announced two store relocations, in Seville and Norton, Ohio to be completed for spring 2002. Both stores will be relocating in new plazas and will keep their square-footage of about 4,000 feet.

Happy Harry. (Newsbites).(to open 59th drugstore, in Delaware)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2001... NEWARK, Del. -- Happy Harry's continues its string of store openings, and will close out the year with its 59th store, which opened this month in Woodside, Del. The 12,000-square-foot unit offers a drive-through pharmacy and private...

Novartis Pharmaceuticals. (Newsbites).(Brief Article)
December 12, 2001... EAST HANOVER, N.J. -- Novartis Pharmaceuticals and drug wholesaler McKesson Health will join forces to introduce on Jan. 2 Novartis discount drug card for Medicare recipients lacking prescription drug coverage. McKesson will administer the...

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores. (Newsbites).(conference)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2001... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The National Association of Chain Drug Stores will host a two-day conference Feb. 21-22 in Chantilly, Va., to assist pharmacy operators in complying with the intricacies of the HIPAA privacy requirements. Visit...

Health on Wheels. (Newsbites).(new diabetes screenings from Albertson's and Sav-on)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2001... BOISE, Idaho -- Albertson's and its subsidiary Sav-on Drugs yesterday unveiled the "Health on Wheels" program, which consists of diabetes screenings and health information. The program is being offered in the parking lot of 10 selected...

Brooks to buy 80 of Albertson's Osco Drug units.(Brief Article)
December 12, 2001... WARWICK, R.I. -- Albertson's is selling 80 Osco Drug units to Maxi Drug, which does business as Brooks Pharmacy, for $240 million--a deal that will bring to an end Osco Drug's operations in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The...

Lewis' Griffin to join NACDS as chairman on Jan. 1.(Mark Griffin; National Association of Chain Drug Stores)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2001... NEW YORK -- Mark Griffin, president and chief executive officer of Lewis Drug, has been named chairman of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, effective Jan. 1. Griffin was elected chairman at NACDS' Board of Directors meeting...

Retailers report soft November front-end sales.(drug stores)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 12, 2001... NEW YORK -- Many drug retailers are scrambling to fulfill their promise of a merry holiday season amid a challenging economic environment, but despite the efforts front-end sales at some chains remain chilly. Rite Aid reported yesterday...

Kmart's McAleece joins Shoppers Drug Mart.(Tim McAleece )(Brief Article)
December 12, 2001... TORONTO -- There are a couple new faces at Shoppers Drug Mart who were brought on board shortly before the company went public last month, including a former pharmacy executive from Kmart. Tim McAleece joined Shoppers last month as the...

Pharmacists once again score high in Gallup poll.(Brief Article)
December 12, 2001... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Firefighters, military people and police all scored extremely high in the Gallup Organization's latest ranking of professions, but pharmacists remained near the top of the list. The annual survey gauges Americans'...

Kroger to cut 1,500 jobs, sees soft third quarter.(Brief Article)
December 12, 2001... CINCINNATI -- In the wake of "disappointing" sales increases for its third quarter, Kroger will eliminate about 1,500 positions. The cuts, mostly management and clerical positions, will occur over the next 12 months and are expected to...

County fines drug retailers for expired OTC products.(Brief Article)
December 12, 2001... NEW YORK -- Chains were quick to react to a Nassau County expose charging a number of national drug stores and one regional chain with selling out-of-date OTC products. The county had seized more than 6,000 out-of-date products from 136...

Bruno's Supermarkets. (Financials).(to be bought by Royal Ahold NV)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2001... AMSTERDAM -- Federal regulators have given retailer Royal Ahold NV the go-ahead to buy Bruno's Supermarkets for $500 million. Bruno's operates 184 stores, 57 of which have pharmacies. As part of the deal, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission...

Eckerd's parent company. (Financials).(J.C. Penny reports on stocks)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2001... PLANO, Texas -- Eckerd's parent company, J.C. Penney Co., has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.1250 per share on the company's outstanding common stock, payable Feb. 1 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 10.

Transora. (Financials).(job cuts)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2001... CHICAGO -- Transora, the business-to-business online exchange created by packaged goods manufacturers, has cut 24 jobs, or 15 percent of its work force. The company also closed a San Francisco office that had housed a recently acquired online...

Wal-Mart division. (Financials).(sales)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2001... BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart reported Monday that for the first week of the period ending Jan. 4, same-store sales at its Wal-Mart division were on plan. Above-average categories at Wal-Mart included pharmacy and seasonal items.

New York Stock Exchange. (Financials).(Walgreens stocks)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2001... DEERFIELD, III. -- Shares of Walgreens closed Monday at $31.96, down $1.10 on the New York Stock Exchange. Walgreens closed yesterday at $32.00, up 4 cents.

November sales performances.(drug store chains)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 12, 2001... November sales performances Total Same-store monthly % increase Same-store pharmacy $ sales over sales sales Company in...

Lewis Drug. (Newsbites).(Lewis Drug Inc., Sure Way Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2001... MADISON, S.D. -- Lewis Drug is buying a 3,000-square-foot pharmacy inside a Jubilee Foods supermarket here at the top 61 the year from Madison Drug, bringing Lewis Drug's store total to 22. The deal includes the pharmacy and OTC department...

Duracell. (Newsbites).(Gary Raymond appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2001... DANBURY Conn. -- After spending less than two years at White Rain, Gary Raymond, president, has resigned and will return to Duracell, where he will be senior vice president and general manager of Duracell, North America Bruce Travis, White...

Kinney Drugs. (Newsbites).(Kinney Drugs Inc. expanded services)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2001... GOUVERNEUR, N.Y. -- Kinney Drugs celebrated on Dec. 1 the opening of a relocated store in Elbridge, N.Y., which offers expanded services, including a drive-through pharmacy and a one-hour photo lab. Last month, the retailer celebrated the...

SymRx. (Newsbites).(web site of Drug Fair Inc. is revamped by SymRx Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2001... ROCKVILLE, Md. -- SymRx, which offers Internet solutions to independent, regional and specialty pharmacies, and Somerset, N.J-based drug retailer Drug Fair have revamped Drug Fair's Web site. DrugFair.com--powered by ChainRx, the SymRx brand...

Albertson's sees solid third quarter; loyalty card a hit.(Albertson's Inc.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 5, 2001... BOISE, Idaho -- Albertson's yesterday posted positive same-stores sales and earnings for its third quarter and continued to open new outlets and close underperforming stores. The nation's second largest food and drug retailer reported a...

Retailers post same-store gains as holiday season begins.(CVS H.C. Inc., Walgreen Co., Longs Drug Stores Corp.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 5, 2001... NEW YORK -- As the holiday shopping season kicks off against the back drop of a weakening economy, several retailers held steady as November same-store sales produced high single-digit gains. CVS reported a same-store sales increase for...

Retailers, suppliers gather for DrSN Issues Summit.(Drug Store News Issues Summit)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2001... NEW YORK -- Retailer-supplier relationships, consumer purchasing data and source tagging issues were among the main topics of discussion among the 100 drug channel executives who gathered here yesterday for the third annual Drug Store News...

FDA, consumer group unveil 'drug check list'.(United States. Food and Drug Administration, EthicAd)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2001... PRINCETON, N.J. -- The Food and Drug Administration and a consumer advocacy group hope to use drug stores as a distribution point for a new "drug check list," which was unveiled yesterday at the "Pharmaceuticals 2001" conference held here....

CVS and Rite Aid charge BMS with blocking generic.(CVS H.C. Inc., Rite Aid Corp., Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2001... NEW YORK -- CVS and Rite Aid are suing Bristol-Myers Squibb, charging the drug maker with blocking generic competition for its anxiety drug BuSpar from reaching the market. In March, the court ordered the Food and Drug Administration to...

Sick consumers look to OTC for relief, IRI says.(IRI Pulse Ailment study)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2001... CHICAGO -- Information Resources Inc. last week announced results from its IRI Pulse Ailment study, which analyzes consumer purchasing habits related to both prescription and over-the-counter products. The findings are based on responses...

Nortex Drug files Chap. 11, to reorganize Texas stores.(Nortex Drug Distributors)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2001... PLANO,. Texas -- Nortex Drug Distributors, once one of Drug Emporium's largest franchisees, has field for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and plans to reorganize its remaining five stores in Texas. Over the last 10 months, Nortex has...

Canada faces 2,000 pharmacy openings.(Brief Article)
December 5, 2001... TORONTO -- Canada is short more than 2,000 pharmacists, according to the Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores' first-ever national survey examining Canada's pharmacist shortage. The CACDS Employer Survey, which was released late last...

Albertson's board of directors. (Financials).(Brief Article)
December 5, 2001... BOISE, Idaho -- Albertson's board of directors yesterday authorized the purchase and retirement of up to $500 million of its common stock between Dec. 6, 2001 and Dec. 31, 2002. The board also declared a quartely cash dividend of 19 cents...

Cosmopolitan Cosmetics. (Financials).(licensing deal with American Yardley of London)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2001... MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Cosmopolitan Cosmetics, the cosmetics and fragrance unit of Wella AG, has purchased brand rights of soap maker American Yardley of London U.S. L.L.C. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Wella now handles Yardley in more...

BMK. (Financials).(wholesaler files for bankruptcy)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2001... CITY OF COMMERCE, Calif. -- BMK, a distributor of general merchandise to supermarkets and drug stores, reported yesterday that it field for Chapter 11 to reorganize its U.S. operations. To ensure vendor and customer relationships remain...

Walgreens. (Financials).(to increase spending)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2001... DEERFIELD, III. -- In a recently filed proxy statement, Walgreens reported that it plans to increase capital expenditures by about 8 percent to $1.3 billion in fiscal 2002, which ends next August, versus $1.2 billion in 2001. The funds are...

Revlon. (Financials).(loan taken out)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2001... NEW YORK -- Revlon has taken out a $250 million loan with a syndicate of banks to repay outstanding debt. Revlon reported Friday that its subsidiary, Revlon Consumer Products Corp., issued on Nov. 26, $363 million in principal amount of 21...