In case you haven’t noticed, some drugstores have really spruced up their acts lately, offering lots more than prescription drugs and personal-care items. We reported last May about 10 surprising trends we’ve seen cropping up in drugstores, from screening tests to home delivery to personal shoppers.
Perhaps the coolest innovations were happening at Duane Reade, a New York-based chain that offers microbrews, eyebrow grooming, fresh flowers, and just-made sushi, among other surprises. See what our colleague Sue found when she strolled through her local Duane Reade.
Now we’re equally impressed with Walgreens, which just opened up a 27,350-square-foot “super drugstore” in Chicago. It’s located in the city’s famous Loop district, at the corner of State and Randolph, where a Walgreens stood from 1926 until 2005. Shoppers can buy sushi and frozen yogurt for lunch, a bottle of wine and a cigar from the humidor for later, and get a manicure too. The store is open late to capture business from neighborhood theater-goers, tourists, and others.
Get a sneak peek here. And watch for elements from this superstore perhaps coming soon to a Walgreens near you, according to the nation’s largest drugstore chain; elements are being rolled out to more of the company’s 8,000 locales in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
Of course, you can still fill your prescription and pick up some lip gloss while you’re there too! Have you seen any surprising innovations at a store near you (drugstore or any other store)?
Dianne Berger
06:19:01 PM on Tue Feb 7 2012
Your magazine is a great innovation and I hope it stays around for some time. It is a bit pricey for a monthly magazine, however, particularly one that is not highly technical and only publishes 6 issues/year. However, it contains a wealth of information so I guess this kind of overrides the expense. Keep up the good work.
Robin Melen
09:37:01 AM on Wed Feb 8 2012
Hi Diane~
We're up to 10 times a year now--more bang for your buck!
robin