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Article: Farmacias El Amal consolidates position in Puerto Rico.
- Article from:
- Chain Drug Review
- Article date:
- December 7, 1998
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1998 Racher Press, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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RIO PIEDRAS, Puerto Rico - While not truly in a foreign country, Farmacias El Amal represents the 'best in chain drug retailing outside the 50 states.
Now in its 25th year of operation, the 50-store chain saw its same-store sales increase 28% last year, one of the most impressive gains in the industry.
Until three years ago El Amal (which is Arabic for "hope") was one of three strong drug chains on this island of 3.8 million people. Its major competition came from Walgreen Go., which operates 44 stores on the island, and from 34-unit Farmacias Moscoso.
But in the past three years the retailing scene here has changed, as discounters like Kmart ...