Drug Emporium
Encyclopedia
Drug Emporium is the name of a discount drug store corporation
, founded in 1977 in Columbus, Ohio
, that was sold to several different buyers during 2000 to 2001. Although several store locations continue to use the Drug Emporium name, these locations are no longer affiliated with the now-defunct Columbus-based corporation. At the company's high water mark in the 1990s, there were almost 300 locations scattered throughout the United States
, including stores that operated under the F&M and VIX banners.
The company declared bankruptcy in April 2001 as a condition of its sale to Snyder Drug of Minneapolis, Minnesota
. Various causes have been attributed, with most citing the company's failure to effectively compete with Walgreens
, CVS Corporation
and other drug store chains. Additionally, much time, effort and money was spent attempting to leverage the power of the brick and mortar
Drug Emporium locations into the failed DrugEmporium.com website
that was seen as the company's future. This "Click And Mortar" approach, typical of the pre-Dot-com bubble
mentality of the late 1990s never fully materialized and only served to deepen the company's economic troubles.
The large base of franchised Texas
and West Virginia
locations, along with company-owned California
locations were sold off and a single location in Lafayette, Louisiana
to independent owners. Then, on September 12, 2003, Snyder Drug closed all of the remaining corporately-owned stores in Pennsylvania
, New Jersey
, New York
, Michigan
, Ohio
, Missouri
, Oklahoma
, Kentucky
, and Wisconsin
due to significant capital infusions and to escape bankruptcy. Although the chain was founded in Columbus, Ohio
, it no longer has stores in its home state. Snyder Drug continues to operate and is owned by the Katz Group of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
.
Drug Emporium currently operates as independently owned stores run by former franchisers. There are 3 stores located in West Virginia, 14 Stores owned by a separate group in Central Texas and Louisiana, and 1 store in Little Rock, Arkansas. The new concept Drug Emporiums feature a Health food store within each store.
Since 2003 Drug Emporium TV ads have featured a bear dancing to the song "Walk the Dinosaur" by Was Not Was.
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
, founded in 1977 in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, that was sold to several different buyers during 2000 to 2001. Although several store locations continue to use the Drug Emporium name, these locations are no longer affiliated with the now-defunct Columbus-based corporation. At the company's high water mark in the 1990s, there were almost 300 locations scattered throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, including stores that operated under the F&M and VIX banners.
The company declared bankruptcy in April 2001 as a condition of its sale to Snyder Drug of Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. Various causes have been attributed, with most citing the company's failure to effectively compete with Walgreens
Walgreens
Walgreen Co. , doing business as Walgreens , is the largest drugstore chain in the United States of America. As of August 31st, the company operates 8,210 locations across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1901, and has since expanded...
, CVS Corporation
CVS Corporation
CVS Pharmacy, or simply CVS, is the second largest pharmacy chain in the United States , with over 7,000 stores in 41 states and Puerto Rico...
and other drug store chains. Additionally, much time, effort and money was spent attempting to leverage the power of the brick and mortar
Brick and mortar
Brick and mortar in its most simplest usage is used to describe the physical presence of a building or other structure...
Drug Emporium locations into the failed DrugEmporium.com website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
that was seen as the company's future. This "Click And Mortar" approach, typical of the pre-Dot-com bubble
Dot-com bubble
The dot-com bubble was a speculative bubble covering roughly 1995–2000 during which stock markets in industrialized nations saw their equity value rise rapidly from growth in the more...
mentality of the late 1990s never fully materialized and only served to deepen the company's economic troubles.
The large base of franchised Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
locations, along with company-owned California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
locations were sold off and a single location in Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
to independent owners. Then, on September 12, 2003, Snyder Drug closed all of the remaining corporately-owned stores in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, and Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
due to significant capital infusions and to escape bankruptcy. Although the chain was founded in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, it no longer has stores in its home state. Snyder Drug continues to operate and is owned by the Katz Group of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Drug Emporium currently operates as independently owned stores run by former franchisers. There are 3 stores located in West Virginia, 14 Stores owned by a separate group in Central Texas and Louisiana, and 1 store in Little Rock, Arkansas. The new concept Drug Emporiums feature a Health food store within each store.
Since 2003 Drug Emporium TV ads have featured a bear dancing to the song "Walk the Dinosaur" by Was Not Was.