Drug Store News articles from December 2004

Drug Store News archives from December 2004

McClellan favorite for top HHS post.(Mark McClellan)(Department of Health and Human Services)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Mark McClellan, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator, is being mentioned in some press reports as the most likely successor to Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson. The eighth member of...

S&P lowers rating on Duane Reade.(News)(Standard & Poor's Corp., Duane Reade Drug Store Co.)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... NEW YORK -- Standard & Poor's earlier this month lowered its rating on Manhattan-based drug chain Duane Reade, citing concerns over weaker-than-expected sales and operating trends. A weak economy and increased competition have impacted Duane...

Rite Aid store of the future opens in Midwest.(News)
December 13, 2004... SELLERSBURG, Ind. -- Using the customer as its compass, Rite Aid designed a new-store prototype called Customer World that officially opened its doors here Nov. 29. This store represents Rite Aid's capability to take the next step forward:...

Issues Summit culls industry exec wisdom.(News)(Drug Store News' sixth annual Industry Issues Summit)
December 13, 2004... NEW YORK -- Senior executives from many of the leading suppliers and top drug retailers convened late last month here at the Warwick Hotel to attend Drug Store News' sixth annual Industry Issues Summit, a pair of panel discussions that tackles...

Brooks breaks ground on new R.I. headquarters.(News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... EAST GREENWICH, R.I. -- The Eckerd integration plan at Brooks Pharmacy, which is owned by Canada s Jean Coutu Group, continues to forge ahead as Brooks last month broke ground on its new corporate headquarters here. Brooks, now based in...

MMA implementation, consumer empowerment tops new year agenda.(News)(Medicare Modernization Act)
December 13, 2004... NEW YORK -- The 2006 implementation of the Medicare Modernization Act is shaping up as one of the more critical issues pharmacy operators will be addressing in 2005, remarked National Association of Chain DrugStores President and Chief...

'Don't squeeze us with more cuts,' Fuller pleads.(News)
December 13, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Pharmacists can be a, powerful ally in the government's effort to trim the spiraling costs of state-run Medicaid drug programs, National Association of Chain Drug Stores President and Chief Executive Officer Craig Fuller told a...

Walgreens, citing mandatory mail issue, to halt Rx service for Ohio workers.(News)
December 13, 2004... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Acting on its earlier threat to stand firmly against mandatory mail order prescription plans, Walgreen Co. announced Dec. 2 it will stop accepting prescriptions for members of the state of Ohio employee prescription drug plan...

Walgreens joins battle for Pittsburgh.(News)
December 13, 2004... CRAFTON, Pa. -- In the first stage of a well-planned assault on one of its last big urban growth targets, Walgreen Co. opened its first store in the Pittsburgh metro market Nov. 22. The store, a freestanding unit in the Pittsburgh suburb of...

Kroger posts solid 3Q results.(Supermarket Aisle)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... CINCINNATI -- Kroger Co. posted this month earlier an increase in third quarter sales and profits as it dodged a work stoppage by ratifying labor contracts covering roughly 20,000 associates in Seattle, Cincinnati and Southern California. ...

Safeway cuts 2005 outlook.(Supermarket Aisle)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... PLEASANTON, Calif. -- Safeway has lowered its earnings per share guidance for 2005 to between $1.41 and $1.51 partly as a result of added marketing expenses and the lingering impact of the Southern California strike at its Vons units. Analysts...

SEC probes Ingles Markets.(Supermarket Aisle)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Ingles Markets, which operates more than 30 pharmacies, is part of an informal probe by the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding the accounting for a vendor contract entered in 2002. The company noted that it...

S&P 500 drops Winn-Dixie.(Winn-Dixie Stores Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Winn-Dixie has been dropped from Standard & Poor's 500 Index. Just prior to the announcement, Winn-Dixie had a market capitalization of roughly $580 million, ranking 500th in the index, S&P stated.

Albertsons reports slight increase in 3Q profits.(Supermarket Aisle)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... BOISE, Idaho -- Albertsons reported a slight bump in third quarter profits, but warned that weak consumer confidence and high energy costs could temper profits for the fourth quarter and full year. Profit for the quarter ended Oct. 28 rose...

Kmart, Sears pin hopes on merger.(Sears, Roebuck and Co.)
December 13, 2004... TROY, Mich. -- It's been widely perceived as the merger of two weaker retail operators in an urgent bid to create one stronger player. But whether Kmart Corp.'s purchase last month of Sears, Roebuck and Co. will produce tangible benefits for...

Albertsons moving HBC, GM to Boise.(News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... BOISE, Idaho -- Albertsons is shifting its corporate general merchandise and health and beauty care business from Scottsdale, Ariz., to its corporate home here in a move it stated would be complete by early 2,005. The move, which the...

U.S. to get up to 4 million more flu vaccine doses.(News)(GlaxoSmithKline PLC)
December 13, 2004... WASHINGTON -- The U.S. government cleared the path for GlaxoSmithKline to supply up to 4 million doses of its flu vaccine to help protect against this year's strain. Between now and the middle of next month, GlaxoSmithKline will ship doses...

Walgreens.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreens late last month announced the appointment of former Eckerd executive Katherine Steirly as divisional merchandise manager for beauty. Steirly succeeds Cheryl Schultz, who is now divisional merchandise manager...

Drugstore.com.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Drugstore.com has appointed Kathy Gersch vice president, chief marketing officer and general manager. Gersch will lead the company's nonprescription business, including brand development, marketing and merchandising. Gersch...

Ahold.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... ZAANDAM, Netherlands -- Bill Grize, president and chief executive officer of Ahold U.S. Retail will step down from the Ahold corporate executive board at the end of the month. According to reports, Grize will remain with the company in an...

Safeway.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... PLEASANTON, Calif. -- In a move aimed at "fine-tuning" its centralization process, Safeway has separated its nonperishables marketing into five separate groups, each of which will have full financial accountability for sales, profit, promotion...

Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... JERUSALEM -- Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries has appointed William Fletcher, president and chief executive officer of Teva North America, as chairman of Teva North America. George Barrett, president and chief executive officer of Teva...

Wal-Mart vice chair Coughlin to retire.(News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Vice Chairman Tom Coughlin will retire, effective Jan. 24, after more than 25 years with the company. While Coughlin will retire next month, he will serve out his term on the company's board through...

Heller tapped for NACDS Century honor.(National Association of Chain Drug Stores Century Award)(Jerry Heller)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Former May's Drug Stores President and Chief Executive Officer Jerry Heller, whose impact on chain drug retailing went far beyond his company s Midwestern reach in Tulsa, Okla., was tapped for the National Association of...

Pharmacists' guide answers flu season FAQs.(News)
December 13, 2004... NEW YORK -- About 70,000 retail pharmacists received a treatment guide as a special insert in the most recent edition of Drug Store News' Continuing Education Quarterly to help prepare them for what could be an onslaught of questions from...

Jorndt donates $10m to alma mater.(Dan Jorndt )(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... DES MOINES, Iowa -- Capping a long history of support for their alma mater in dramatic fashion, retired Walgreen Co. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dan Jorndt and his wife, Patricia McDonnell Jorndt, have endowed Drake University with a...

CACDS honors two members.(Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores)(2004 Len Marks Award for Advancement in Pharmacy)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... OTTAWA, Ontario -- The Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores has named Shoppers Drug Mart executive Aubrey Browne the recipient of the 2004 Len Marks Award for Advancement in Pharmacy. The award, named in memory of former CACDS chairman and...

FDA chief counsel resigns.(Pharmacy Watch)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Daniel Troy resigned Nov. 28 as chief counsel for the Food and Drug Division of the Food and Drug Administration s Office of the General Counsel. Troy has served as the FDA's senior legal advisor since his appointment in August...

APhA sets plan for '05 meeting.(Pharmacy Watch)(American Pharmacists Association)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... WASHINGTON -- The American Pharmacists Association is firming up plans for its 2005 Annual Meeting and Exposition, set for April 1 to 5 in Orlando, Fla. The meeting, which APhA predicts will draw some 6,000 pharmacists, will feature more...

Drug safety issue addressed at Senate Vioxx hearing.(Pharmacy News)(Congress. Senate. Committee on Finance)( Food and Drug Administration)
December 13, 2004... WASHINGTON -- A Food and Drug Administration researcher lumped five top-selling pharmaceuticals into the same category as Vioxx, the cox-2 inhibitor that Merck pulled off the market in September, when testifying before the Senate Finance...

Study: some medicare patients could face steep Rx cost hikes.(Pharmacy News)
December 13, 2004... WASHINGTON -- The Medicare Modernization Act's drug benefit program likely will be a boon to millions of low-income seniors who qualify for its most generous subsidies and should save another 20 million Medicare recipients an average of 28...

Teens gotta have it ... now!(Hot Picks)
December 13, 2004... Through an exclusive partnership with Teen People magazine, once per month Drug Store News features a special department, Teen People's Trendspotter Hot Picks, which is designed to give retailers a better sense of what moves today's teen...

NACDS Foundation dinner.(Making the Scene)
December 13, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: (Left) Rite Aid's Mary Sammons with Time Distribution Services' Joe Bivona (Left) Drug Store News' John Kenlon with Procter & Gamble's Barb Hartan. (Below) Walgreens' Susan and Jeff Rein and Revlon's...

Sally Hansen model search.(Making the Scene)
December 13, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Last month, Tiesha Wimbish (center) of Chula Vista, Calif., was named the winner of the Sally Hansen Healing Beauty Model Search and received a $10,000 modeling contract. Pictured are Miss USA Shandi...

"Today" show at CVS.(Making the Scene)
December 13, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Actress Marlo Thomas and the "Today" show's Katie Couric kick off the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's Thanks & Giving Campaign during a live broadcast from a New York City CVS. As part of the...

Changing the face of a retail landscape is no small feat.(Opinion)(CVS H.C. Inc.)
December 13, 2004... In addition to the launch of the Medicare drug discount card last May, the news event of 2004 that had the greatest impact on the business of retail pharmacy was the sale of the nation's fourth-largest drug chain. Throughout the history of...

Champing at the bit to get back in the game.(Opinion)
December 13, 2004... "It's just human nature. You want to be a part of something successful. That's all people really want." --Tom Ryan, CVS chairman, president and chief executive officer It was some time in August when the editors of Drug Store News came...

PBMs take on drug industry over Medicare formulary issue.(Pharmacy News)(pharmacy benefit management)(Pharmaceutical Care Management Association)
December 13, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Firing another salvo in its battle to shape Medicare drug coverage regulations, the group representing the pharmacy benefit management industry kicked off a new print advertising initiative last month aimed at federal...

Boehringer Ingelheim's.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Supplier News--The Food and Drug Administration last month approved Boehringer Ingelheim's Atrovent HFA, a bronchodilator indicated for the maintenance treatment of bronchospasm associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The...

Forest Laboratories.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Forest Laboratories last month received approval for Combunox, the first fixed-dose combination of the opioid oxycodone HC1 (5 mg) and the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen (400 mg). Combunox was approved for the short-term...

Pfizer and Ranbaxy Laboratories went to court last month over the industry's No. 1 pharmaceutical Lipitor.(Generics News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Generics News--Pfizer and Ranbaxy Laboratories went to court last month over the industry's No. 1 pharmaceutical Lipitor. Ranbaxy is the first to challenge two of Pfizer's Lipitor patents, which are supposed to protect the statin from generic...

Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals.(Generics News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Frost & Sullivan's research service U.S. Insomnia Therapies Markets last month awarded Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals the 2004 Specialty Product of the Year for revolutionizing the sales of a low dose of Restoril, an insomnia remedy. Revenue...

Mylan Laboratories'.(Generic News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Mylan Laboratories' board of directors summarily dismissed a proposed takeover from billionaire Carl Icahn late last month. "Mr. Icahn has a long history of self-serving actions, and we believe that his letter is just another self-serving...

Pharma's legal and compliance experts mull regulatory and Medicare challenges.(Chain Pharmacy)
December 13, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Hoping mightily to dodge any increase in federal scrutiny or regulatory pressure in the wake of the 2004 presidential election and Medicare reform, scores of pharmaceutical industry attorneys and compliance officers gathered here...

FDA chief promises open review process.(Chain Pharmacy)(Food and Drug Administration)
December 13, 2004... WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will dedicate a major portion of its funding in 2005 to find out why certain drugs don't make it to market, why some make it to market when they shouldn't, and why, in some cases, the review...

FDA taking aim at DTC claims.(Chain Pharmacy)(Food and Drug Administration)(direct-to-consumer)
December 13, 2004... ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Taking aim at the growing commercialism that's becoming part of the direct-to-consumer advertising of pharmaceuticals, the Food and Drug Administration asked Pfizer last month to pull two advertisements for its Viagra erectile...

NACDS' Wagner urges Congress to broaden front on meth abuse.(Chain Pharmacy)(National Association of Chain Drug Stores)(Mary Ann Wagner)(methamphetamine)
December 13, 2004... WASHINGTON -- More needs to be done to curb the growth of methamphetamine addiction to halt the spread of meth in the United States, an official with the National Association of Chain Drug Stores warned Congress last month. In strongly...

QS/1 launches NRx OnDemand ASP.(Automation Watch)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Software provider QS/1 introduced its newest application service provider solution for pharmacies, called NRx OnDemand. The ASP is built on QS/1's RxCare Plus software and uses a new Windows graphical user interface. ...

Cardinal unveils new Pyxis line.(Automation Watch)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... DUBLIN, Ohio -- Cardinal Health is rolling out a new generation of its Pyxis pharmacy automation systems this month, along with a menu of other products and services to Boost patient safety and prescription delivery and tracking in high-volume...

E-pedigree software solution bows.(Automation Watch)(SupplyScape Corp. forms an alliance with Capgemini)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- SupplyScape Corp. has teamed with Capgemini to launch the Drug Security Network, offering drug manufacturers, wholesalers, pharmacies and repackagers the tools to determine the best return on their investments to comply with...

FDA issues guidelines for study of RFID.(Pharmacy Automation)(Food and Drug Administration)(radio frequency identification)
December 13, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Drug makers can study a promising new technology that makes drugs visible as they travel throughout the pharmaceutical supply chain, without fearing repercussions from the industry's regulating body, the government has ruled. ...

Thrifty White, Happy Harry's reap payback in Rx robotic dispensing systems.(Pharmacy Automation)
December 13, 2004... MAPLE GROVE, Minn. -- Pursuing high-tech operating strategies that belie their relatively small scale and regional focus, two of the industry's most technologically advanced regional drug chains say they are reaping big dividends from the...

AutoMed unveils new telepharmacy system.(Pharmacy Automation)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... VALLEY FORGE, Pa. -- AmerisourceBergen's AutoMed unit launched a new telepharmacy system, called ADDS 8.0, to capitalize on the growing U.S. trend in remote dispensing. According to the company, the high-capacity, remote pharmacy system...

SureScripts, UNC hospital ink e-Rx pact.(Pharmacy Automation)(University of North Carolina Health Care System)(SureScript Systems)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Extending, its bid to wire the country's pharmacies to a nationwide electronic prescribing platform, SureScripts announced last month the addition of the University of North Carolina Health Care System to its e-Rx network....

Pharmacy coalition pilots consumer education effort.(Chain Pharmacy)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The Sarasota Group, a coalition of independent and chain pharmacies, drug makers and industry organizations, last month launched a six-month pilot program to educate consumers on the value of prescription drugs and the role...

Adams Respiratory Therapeutics.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Adams Respiratory Therapeutics launched a $22 million national television, radio, print and online marketing campaign last month to support its Mucinex brand, an immediate-release / extended-release expectorant. Adams tapped Torre Lazur...

Balance Bar.(Supplier News)(to introduce new product line)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Balance Bar is planning a number of new launches next month, including a line called Balance Bar Trail Mix bars. Retailing for a suggested price of $1.39, the bars will feature chocolate chip, cinnamon oats and honey and fruit and nut...

Weider Nutrition.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Weider Nutrition last month launched a new joint-care formula called Lubriflex. The product combines Uniflex, an antioxidant, with glucosamine and hyaluronic acid, a compound found in synovial joint fluid that assists in the delivery of...

Pfizer.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Pfizer next month will introduce a new formulation of Sudafed that does not contain pseudoephedrine, called Sudafed PE. The medicine was formulated in response to the controversy surrounding pseudoephedrine's role in methamphetamine production,...

NBTY.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... NBTY last month launched a $6.5 million national print advertising campaign featuring television talk show host Regis Philbin. Beginning next month, Philbin will be featured in Better Homes and Gardens, Family Circle, Modern Maturity,...

Solo GI Nutrition.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Solo GI Nutrition featured a line of low-glycemic, low-carb bars at this year's Natural Health Expo East, but the packaging highlights the bars as ample sources of protein, complex carbohydrates and fiber over a strict low-carb positioning. The...

Correction.(Reporter's Notebook)(Correction Notice)
December 13, 2004... In the Nov. 22 issue of Drug Store News on page 37, the photo of Prilosec OTC should have been identified as Procter & Gamble's proton-pump inhibitor.

Ease of compliance key to moms' choices of kids' OTCs.(OTC/Natural Health)(over the counter)
December 13, 2004... While a sick child may be the initial reason for parents to make a beeline to their local pharmacies in search of a remedy, once they get there, a number of other issues factor into the actual purchase, including ease of delivery, portability...

Buying up OTCs with FSA dollars.(What's Hot)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Over-the-counter medicines may make the ideal stocking stuffers this month, as flexible spending account holders put another year behind them. The Internal Revenue Service ruled last year that OTC medicines are eligible for reimbursement...

Pharmavite, CRN dispute study linking vitamin E with death.(OTC/Natural Health)
December 13, 2004... Dietary supplements once again were placed in the hot seat last month when news broke linking the consumption of high doses of vitamin E to higher mortality rates. Debunking years of clinical research espousing the benefits of the popular...

CVS.(Retailer News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... CVS is expanding its exclusive Cristophe Beverly Hills hair care collection by adding Cristophe's new Color Extending line for color-treated hair. A key ingredient in the Color Extending formula is Heliogenol, which is extracted from...

Hawaiian Tropic.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Hawaiian Tropic is looking to target the 'tween market--ages 8 to 12--this summer with its new waterproof Sun Junk SPF 45 Sunblock Spray and Stick. The labeling on the front o! the spray bottle features a thermochromatic surfer--the image...

Charles Worthington Hair & Beauty Co.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Fresh from its acquisition by international consumer products group PZ Cussons and with a new president at the helm, Charles Worthington Hair & Beauty Co. is gearing up for a major U.S. push in 2005 with a string of new and reformulated...

Procter & Gamble.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Procter & Gamble's Olay brand is looking to take body lotion to a new level with its Quench line, scheduled to hit retail shelves in February. Olay Quench is designed to go beyond simple moisturization to quench skin's thirst. Using an...

Product influx, surging buying power redefine boundaries of kids' grooming.(Beauty Care)
December 13, 2004... Fragrant body sprays, glittery eye shadows, fruity lip gloss, sparkly products of all sorts--for many of today's tweens, such accessories are considered necessities as they strive to find their own identities amid today's fast-changing pop...

Youth-infused foundations.(What's Hot)(product enhancement)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Anti-age products continue to drive the skin care segment as women forge ahead in their eternal quest for a youthful appearance, and cosmetics manufacturers at mass are still vying to tap into the high-growth market by injecting makeup with...

Conair.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Conair currently is shipping its new Ceramic Ionic Styler. The bright red hair dryer features dual heat technology, including a ceramic heater with full-spectrum infrared heat to prevent frizz and minimize drying time. Additional features...

Garnier.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Garnier is gearing up for a blockbuster year with the February launch of a string of new products under its Garnier, Fructis and Nutrisse brands. Under its Fructis label, the company will launch Sleek & Shine Deep Conditioner for $5.99,...

Orly.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Orly has developed a Wedding Party Bridal Color Collection of nail polish, which introduces four new shades to complement the seven classic shades from its signature collection. New shades include Honeymoon In Style, Kiss the Bride, Walk Down...

Maybelline New York.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Maybelline New York has signed Troy Surratt as consulting makeup artist. We needed to find some one who had not only made a name for themselves and done stunning work in the area of makeup artistry, but who could actually translate that...

Coty Beauty U.S.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Coty Beauty U.S. will ship in March its new Healing Garden 2-in-1 Moisturizing Body Wash and Lotion, which is injected with an herbal-nutrient complex of vitamins and moisturizers that works with the pore-opening warmth and humidity of the...

Kimberly-Clark Corp.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... In early 2005, the Kimberly-Clark Corp. is launching a complete line of Huggies bath and body products. The move follows Huggies initial foray into the toiletries category with the January launch of a washcloth and baby wash. The new...

Bonne Bell Co.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... The Bonne Bell Co. is looking to expand its Bonne Bell portfolio. Next month or by February, the company will launch new shades for its Eye Style Shadow Box, which retails for $3.95 each, Eye Style Precise Liners for $2.95 each and Eye...

Wal-Mart.(Retailer News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Wal-Mart in 500 of its stores will carry By Kids For Kids The Crayon Holder. Invented by an 11-year-old girl, the product grips broken crayons or those too tiny to use. The Crayon Holder's design was inspired by the small, plastic tubes used to...

Target.(Retailer News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Target created the Thanks & Giving Gift Card to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. With every gift card purchase, $5 is deducted automatically from the original amount and donated to St. Jude. Target will match the...

Earthstone International.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Earthstone International in spring will launch a starter kit and refill pack, along with updated product packing, for its GrillStone grillcleaning system. The system features a handle and a repplaceable, honeycombed lock. Users clean the grill...

Thinkeroo.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Thinkeroo on Feb. 22 will launch the first direct-to-video DVD and VHS for the Monkeydoos, 3-D animated monkeys with live human hosts that mimic activities that the monkeys do. Initial titles include "Gallop, Hop and Stomp" and Pedal, Paddle...

Clarification.(Reporter's Notebook)(Correction Notice)
December 13, 2004... Clarification: In the Nov. 8 issue of Drug Store News, the story "Personal experience, not price, drives greeting card purchases" on page 27 reported that CVS has an exclusive deal with Hallmark. American Greetings supplies greeting cards to...

Retro, tech toys top requests on kids' 2004 holiday gift lists.(General Merchandise)(survey of shoppers)
December 13, 2004... Nearly half of shoppers surveyed--49 percent--said they would buy toys this holiday season, according to the NPD Group. More good news for chain drug retailers is that many of those toys ring in at comfortable price points for drug store...