Chain Drug Review back issues from September 1995:
Cardinal agrees to buy Medicine Shoppe. (Cardinal Health Inc.; Medicine Shoppe International)
Sep 11, 1995; ... DUBLIN, Ohio - Pharmaceutical distributor Cardinal Health Inc., looking to enter the retail side of the business, has agreed to acquire Medicine Shoppe International (MSI) in a stock swap valued at about $348 million.MSI, which is headquartered in St. Louis, is the nation's ...
Phar-Mor to exit Chapter 11.
Sep 11, 1995 ... YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - A federal bankruptcy court judge here has approved a reorganization plan for Phar-Mor Inc., setting the stage for the deep-discount drug chain to return to the ranks of publicly traded companies."Now we can grow again," president and chief operating officer Dave ...
Jean Coutu emerges as major force in U.S. (Jean Coutu Group Inc.)
Sep 11, 1995 ... LONGUEUIL, Quebec - Jean Coutu knows perhaps better than anyone that chain drug retailing in Canada can be as daunting as winter in Saskatchewan.The venerable architect of a chain that has flourished in this country for nearly three decades, Coutu says the challenges he has faced ...
Coutu hones operations in tough Canadian. (Jean Coutu Group Inc.)
Sep 11, 1995 ... LONGUEUIL, Quebec - While the twin pillars of customer service and value-oriented pricing that underlie the philosophy espoused by Jean Coutu is still very much intact throughout the drug chain that bears his name in Canada, the playing field here has changed dramatically of late. ...
Growth in U.S. comes at a good time: expansion remains a top priority at chain. (Jean Coutu Group Inc.)
Sep 11, 1995 ... LONGUEUIL, Quebec - After having spent the past several years developing a strategy designed to ensure the continued growth of the Jean Coutu Group, executive vice president Yvon Bechard admits that a big piece of the puzzle fell into place during a crucial meeting with top executives from ...
Coutu maximizes front end to offset shrinking Rx margins. (Jean Coutu Group Inc.)
Sep 11, 1995 ... LONGUEUIL, Quebec - With each of the 229 Pharmacie Jean Coutu (PJC) and Maxi Drug franchises in Canada stocking an average of 22,000 products, vice president of purchasing and merchandising Alain Lafortune and his eight-member buying staff are among the busiest people in the company's ...
Franchisees benefit from relationship with Coutu. (Jean Coutu Group Inc.)
Sep 11, 1995 ... LONGUEUIL, Quebec - The advantages franchisees gain from their relationship with the Jean Coutu Group are not limited to the value of operating under a recognized name and the ability to obtain merchandise at attractive prices. Stores with the Coutu banner have access to a wealth of ...
Coutu steps up commitment to retail technology. (Jean Coutu Group Inc.)
Sep 11, 1995 ... LONGUEUIL, Quebec - Like every other drug chain preparing for the business world of the 21st century, the Jean Coutu Group is making a major commitment to retail technology.Coordinating the effort for the 220-store chain of franchises in Canada is Michel Boucher, vice president of ...
New system to make distribution at Coutu state-of-the-art process. (Jean Coutu Group Inc.)
Sep 11, 1995 ... LONGUEUIL, Quebec - The Jean Coutu Group is about to roll out a $1 million radio frequency system for filling orders that is expected to dramatically increase the speed and accuracy of its distribution center operations."This will let us know everything about an order from A to ...
Brooks purchase transforms Coutu's U.S. operations. (Maxi Drug's purchase of Brooks Pharmacy)
Sep 11, 1995 ... WARWICK, R.I. - The transformation of Maxi Drug last fall from a sleepy 22-unit retailer into one of the 13 largest drug chains in the United States may have caught a lot of people by surprise, but for Michel Coutu it had been in the works for years.If 251-store Brooks Pharmacy - ...
New entity starts on solid financial footing. (Jean Coutu Group USA)
Sep 11, 1995 ... WARWICK, R.I. - Randy Wyrofsky has been chief financial officer and vice president of finance of Jean Coutu Group's U.S. operations since 1991. But, he admits, it was only after the Coutu subsidiary Maxi drug purchased 221 Brooks Drug stores from Revco D.S. last fall that he really had to ...
Entrepreneurial style flourishes at Brooks under Coutu ownership. (Brooks Drug Inc.; Jean Coutu Group Inc.)
Sep 11, 1995 ... WARWICK, R.I. - Vice president of marketing Dave Morocco uses a football analogy to illustrate his amazement over Brooks Drug's merger into Maxi Drug."You've heard of the Hail Mary pass," he says, referring to a last-second pass by a quarterback. "This is the Hail Mary deal. ...
Pharmacy is Brook's top priority. (Brooks Pharmacy)
Sep 11, 1995 ... WARWICK R.I. - Despite mounting pressure from third-party payers to keep prices down and the resulting dwindling margins, Brooks Pharmacy is committed to the prescription drug business."Although we have a few health and beauty aids stores without pharmacies, anything we open today ...
Execs remember Brooks' roots as a small retailer. (Brooks Drug Inc.)
Sep 11, 1995 ... WARWICK, R.I. - The newest big drug chain in the United States is not forgetting its roots as a small retailer.While the acquisition of Brooks Drug has transformed Maxi Drug into a major player in the industry, the company wants its 251 store managers to feel just as significant - ...
Coutu begins revamping the Brooks chain. (Jean Coutu Group Inc.; Brooks Pharmacy)
Sep 11, 1995 ... WARWICK, R.I. - In his 30 years with Brooks Pharmacy and the drug chains that preceded it, Don Kinney has lived through seven ownership changes, emerging from each a little smarter."Every new management team I've worked with I've learned something from," says the 52-year-old ...
Capsaicin spurs sales boom in external analgesics.
Sep 11, 1995 ... NEW YORK - Fueled by the popularity of capsaicin-based medications, sales of external analgesics are soaring."Capsaicin has created a new segment in the market," says Kelly Kaplan, senior vice president of sales for GenDerm Corp., maker of Zostrix.Derived from chile ...
Home office supplies comprise growth vehicle for chains. (drug store chains)(Interview)
Sep 11, 1995 ... Q. In a sentence or two characterize the current status of the home office category and its future.CHRIS DUNN, marketing manager, Mead School & Office Products: "Due to the rapid rise in the number of small offices and home offices, more individuals are responsible for buying their ...
Single-use cameras infuse new life into photography arena. (marketing by drug store chains)(Interview)
Sep 11, 1995 ... Q. How Important are chain drug stores to the future of the photography category and what are you doing to generate business at the trade class?A spokesman for Eastman Kodak Co. consumer imaging division: "We consider drug stores to be a crucial class of trade for us. That is one ...
Advanced technology gives new look to photoprocessing. (photoprocessing business in drugstores)(Interview)
Sep 11, 1995 ... Q: How has the photoprocessing business changed in recent years. How significant are drug stores in the overall category?MIKE LAMMERS, marketing manager, Noritsu America Corp.: "It is a market that continues to grow as new technology makes it more accessible to consumers. Of the ...
Picture frames are natural adjunct to photography category. (marketing in drug stores)(Interview)
Sep 11, 1995 ... Q. Should frames always be positioned adjacent to photography departments?KIM KINER, director of marketing and product development, Acme Frame Products Inc.: "It's great if they are, especially if the account does photoprocessing. That way when consumers get their printed photos, ...
Books and magazines are attractive segment for drug chains.(Interview)
Sep 11, 1995 ... Q. What is the state of the books and magazines category and how has it grown over the past year?DICK PERLAAK POOT, national marketing director, Rodale Press Inc.: "While the category has seen growth there is some confusion regarding audited and nonaudited publications. Although ...
Greeting cards continue to be chain drug staple.(Interview)
Sep 11, 1995 ... Q. How can chain drug retailers best attract customers to their greeting cards sections?KORT MASTELLER, store planning consultant, American Greetings Corp.: "Size, location, visibility, adjacencies, the importance of traffic patterns and individual store demographics are key ...
Retail prices stabilizing in lackluster blank videotape segment. (marketing in drug stores)(Interview)
Sep 11, 1995 ... Q. How would you assess the market for blank tape and its overall profitability for retailers?A spokesman for Eastman Kodak Co.: "The market continues to grow as people become more inclined toward recording with their videocassette recorders [VCRs]. We have also seen the growth of ...
Blank audiotape category remains solid performer for chains. (marketing in drug store chains)(Interview)
Sep 11, 1995 ... Q. How well is the category doing as a whole and what major developments have we seen over the past year?JIM McKEVITT, trade class sales manager 3M audio/video division: "Blank audiotape has always done well among drug stores, particularly the normal bias tapes. The multipacks or ...
Importance of prerecorded videotape at drug chains grows.(Interview)
Sep 11, 1995 ... Q. What is the potential of drug stores as a distribution channel for the sale of prerecorded videotapes?KELLEY AVERY, senior vice president of retail marketing and merchandising, Buena Vista Home Video: "There currently is huge potential for video in the drug channel. Drug stores ...
Merchandising options are plentiful in the battery category. (marketing in drug stores)(Interview)
Sep 11, 1995 ... Q. What promotional strategies should chain drug retailers be taking to increase sales of batteries? What is your company doing to help retailers merchandise them?GARY BAKER, vice president, trade development, Eveready Battery Co.: "Retailers should create a permanent department ...
Weather protection products generate consistent sales gains. (marketing in drugstores)(Interview)
Sep 11, 1995 ... Q. Should umbrellas be presented in the front of the store all the time or just when it's raining?BARRY BRINKER, vice president of marketing and product development, J Jay Products Co.: "All the time, since umbrellas are clearly an impulse purchase. When the customer sees the ...
Hosiery makers expand offerings, bolster marketing efforts. (marketing in drug stores)(Interview)
Sep 11, 1995 ... Q. How important are chain drug stores to the success of hosiery products?JIM MOZINGO, vice president of business development and market information, Kayser-Roth Inc. legwear division: "Legwear is important to the drug class of trade. It currently accounts for more than $350 ...
Gift wrap and party goods represent opportunity for chains. (drug store chains)(Interview)
Sep 11, 1995 ... Q. What can drug chains do to maximize sales of gift wrap and party goods?A spokeswoman for Hallmark Cards Inc.: "The keys to success in gift wrap are: keep displays easy to shop and be sure consumers have a wide choice of value for their dollars; display popular licenses; and ...
Despite setbacks, toys remain good source of impulse sales. (marketing in drugstores)(Interview)
Sep 11, 1995 ... Q. How has the marketing of toys through the drug store trade changed over the past decade?RAY BRAZ, Eastern category manager, Mattel Inc.: "The marketing of branded toys through the drug trade has changed dramatically over the past decade. Previously, the toy trade was rigid when ...
Balancing impulse and planned sales is key in flashlights. (marketing in drugstores)(Interview)
Sep 11, 1995 ... Q. What's the optimal way to drive lighting product sales in drug chains?JERRY ALBRIGHT, director of marketing, Rayovac Corp.: "Retailers should market a realistic flashlight section that includes a mix of low- to mid-range lights priced from $3.50 to $7.50. Don't try to be ...
Technological advances can turn light bulb sales around. (marketing in drugstores)(Interview)
Sep 11, 1995 ... Q. What have been the most significant developments in light bulb technology in recent years, and what future does the near term hold?KERRY VACHON, director of marketing, Philips Lighting Co.: "For consumers the most significant developments have been in the area of compact ...
Consumer demand for home security products increasing. (marketing in drugstores)(Interview)
Sep 11, 1995 ... Q. How much of the personal and home security market is controlled by drug chains?SUSAN MOORE, national sales manager for the chain drug market, Mace Security International: "Only a small percentage of home security products are being sold in drug stores. Personal protection spray ...
'As seen on TV' merchandising viewed as presold category. (drugstore merchandising)(Interview)
Sep 11, 1995 ... Q. In a sentence or two characterize the current status of the "as seen on TV" category and its future.LARRY NUSBAUM, executive vice president, Erason, a division of E. Mishan & Sons Inc.: "The 'as seen on TV' category has grown approximately 50% per year in items of overall ...