COMPANYHISTORIES
NAIC 44611

Pharmacies and Drug Stores

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

17companies1913–1985founding years17still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedGristede's Foods Inc.
1913
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedWalgreen Co.
1916
EconomyPiggly Wiggly opens the first self-service grocery store.
FoundedCVS Corporation
1922
FoundedSupervalu Inc.
1926
1928
TechnologyPenicillin is discovered, opening the age of antibiotics.
FoundedWall Drug Store, Inc.
1931
FoundedGeneral Nutrition Companies, Inc.FoundedRaley's Inc.
1935
FoundedHy-Vee, Inc.
1938
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedAlbertson's, Inc.FoundedMercury Drug Corporation
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedFruth Pharmacy, Inc.
1952
FoundedRite Aid Corporation
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedEckerd Corporation
1961
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
EconomyThe first Walmart opens, built on everyday low prices.
FoundedAEON Co., Ltd.
1969
FoundedUny Co., Ltd.
1971
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedFarmacias Ahumada S.A.
1977
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedNeighborCare, Inc.
1985
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1994
TechnologyE-commerce begins to disrupt retail.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Gristede's Foods Inc. →
Active · founded 1913
Gristede's Foods, Inc., owns and operates 46 supermarkets in the New York City metropolitan area.
Walgreen Co. →
Active · founded 1916
Walgreen Co.
CVS Corporation →
Active · founded 1922
Although it trails arch-rival Walgreen Co.
Supervalu Inc. →
Active · founded 1926
Minnesota-based Supervalu Inc.
Wall Drug Store, Inc. →
Active · founded 1931
Wall Drug Store, Inc.
General Nutrition Companies, Inc. →
Active · founded 1935
General Nutrition Companies, Inc., is the largest specialty retailer of vitamin, mineral, and sports nutrition…
Raley's Inc. →
Active · founded 1935
Raley's Inc.
Hy-Vee, Inc. →
Active · founded 1938
One of the 15 largest supermarket chains in the United States, Hy-Vee, Inc.
Albertson's, Inc. →
Active · founded 1945
Albertson's, Inc.
Mercury Drug Corporation →
Active · founded 1945 · Philippines
Mercury Drug Corporation is the Philippines' dominant pharmacy group.
Fruth Pharmacy, Inc. →
Active · founded 1952
Based in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, Fruth Pharmacy, Inc., operates 22 drugstores, generally 10,000 square feet in…
Rite Aid Corporation →
Active · founded 1958
Rite Aid Corporation, which ranks as the third largest retail drugstore chain in the United States, operates about…
Eckerd Corporation →
Active · founded 1961
Eckerd Corporation operates a chain of about 2,900 drug stores located in 20 states in the Northeast, Southeast, and…
AEON Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1969 · Japan
Formerly known as JUSCO AEON Co., Ltd.
Uny Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1971 · Japan
Early 20th century:[fs54]Choju Nishikawaya opens a footwear store in Nudge, the largest city in Chubu.
Farmacias Ahumada S.A. →
Active · founded 1977 · Chile
Farmacias Ahumada S.A.
NeighborCare, Inc. →
Active · founded 1985
NeighborCare, Inc.
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