Rexall
Encyclopedia
Rexall was a chain of North American drugstores
, and the name of their store-branded products. The stores, having roots in the federation of United Drug Stores starting in 1902, licensed the Rexall brand name to as many as 12,000 drug stores across the United States from 1920 to 1977. (The "Rex" in the name came from the common Rx abbreviation for drug prescriptions.)
Since 1985, it has been the name of over-the-counter drug
s and drugstores in Canada
operated by the Katz Group of Companies
, and of health supplements in the United States
.
persuaded 40 independent drug stores to invest $4,000 in a retailers' cooperative
called United Drug Stores, which sold products under the Rexall name. After World War I
, the cooperative established a franchise
arrangement whereby independently owned retail outlets adopted the Rexall trade name and sold Rexall products. The company was based in Boston, in an area now occupied by Northeastern University.
. It was the million dollar brainchild of Louis Liggett, who travelled in the rear observation car.
, formerly of the Walgreens
drugstore chain, took control of Boston-based United Drug Company in 1943. The chain operated under the Liggett, Owl, Sonta, and Rexall brands, which Dart rebranded under the Rexall name.
Rexall gained national exposure through its sponsorship of two famous classic American radio programs of the 1940s and 1950s: Amos and Andy and The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show
. Both shows were often opened by an advertisement from an actor (Griff Barnett) portraying "your Rexall family druggist", and included the catch phrase "Good health to all from Rexall." They also sponsored the Jimmy Durante
Show and there are references by the character Mr. Peavey in some of The Great Gildersleeve
radio shows. Rexall also sponsored "Richard Diamond, Private Detective
" starring Dick Powell
from April 1950 until Camel replaced Rexall as the sponsor after the December 6, 1950 broadcast.
In 1946, United-Rexall Drug Inc. purchased the Renfro chain in Texas
. It also launched the Owl Superstores chain. In 1947, the company held a gala opening for their new headquarters and first store in Los Angeles, California. The new Hollywood Owl was reported in Life Magazine as 'the World's Biggest Drugstore'. In 1958, the Rexall Drug Company was the largest U.S. drug store franchise, with 11,158 stores (for comparison, there are fewer than 12,000 McDonald's restaurants in the U.S. today). Time Magazine noted that 2/3 of its stores were in areas where 1/3 of the population lived. However, this comprised more than 20% of all drug stores in the United States.
Dart sold his stake in Rexall in 1978. Dart had acquired stakes in West Bend
, Duracell
, Hobart Corporation
, Tupperware
, Ralph Wilson Plastics, and Archer Glass, which were collectively known as Dart Industries.
Across the United States there are still franchise retailers still using the Rexall name.
In the early 1980s, Rexall, headed by Howard K. Vander Linden, a third-generation Rexall employee, was the subject of a hostile takeover by an organization headed by Larry Brown. The company almost immediately slid into decline.
s, acquired the Rexall trademark in 1985 and continued to produce nutritional supplements and remedies under the new name Rexall-Sundown, with no relationship to the remaining chain of Rexall drugstores, nor to the Canadian maker of medicines and sundries. Numico
acquired Rexall Sundown in 2000.Numico split up the Rexall divisions and divested them in 2003, selling the name Rexall-Sundown to NBTY
, a US vitamin company, and the Unicity Network division was to be sold to Activated Holdings, a privately held company. The deal fell through and Unicity Network was sold to its management.
announced that it would be one of the exclusive retailers for Rexall-branded products. Customers can find various Rexall products in several of the retailer's categories, including over-the-counter medication, dental care, vitamins and supplements, foot care and first aid.
in Edmonton
, Alberta
, in Canada is the home of both the Edmonton Oilers
of the National Hockey League
, and the Edmonton Rush
of the National Lacrosse League
. The Katz Group of Companies
, which operates Rexall and Rexall PharmaPLus pharmacies and sells Rexall products in Canada, purchased the naming rights to the arena. Daryl Katz, head of the Katz Group, is the owner of the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club. The Rexall Centre
tennis courts are in Toronto
, Ontario
also in Canada. Rexall is also the title sponsor of the Rexall Edmonton Indy IndyCar
race at Edmonton City Centre Airport.
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
, and the name of their store-branded products. The stores, having roots in the federation of United Drug Stores starting in 1902, licensed the Rexall brand name to as many as 12,000 drug stores across the United States from 1920 to 1977. (The "Rex" in the name came from the common Rx abbreviation for drug prescriptions.)
Since 1985, it has been the name of over-the-counter drug
Over-the-counter drug
Over-the-counter drugs are medicines that may be sold directly to a consumer without a prescription from a healthcare professional, as compared to prescription drugs, which may be sold only to consumers possessing a valid prescription...
s and drugstores in 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...
operated by the Katz Group of Companies
Katz Group of Companies
Katz Group of Companies operates over 1,800 pharmacies in Canada and the United States. It is based in Edmonton, Alberta. Daryl Katz is chairman of the Katz Group of Companies.- Katz Group Canada :Katz Group Canada Ltd...
, and of health supplements in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Founding
In 1902, Louis K. LiggettLouis K. Liggett
Louis K. Liggett was an American drug store magnate who founded Rexall and was later chairman of United Drug Company.-Early life:...
persuaded 40 independent drug stores to invest $4,000 in a retailers' cooperative
Retailers' cooperative
A retailers' cooperative is a type of cooperative which employs economies of scale on behalf of its retailer members. Retailers' cooperatives use their purchasing power to acquire discounts from manufacturers and often share marketing expenses. It is common for locally owned grocery stores,...
called United Drug Stores, which sold products under the Rexall name. After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the cooperative established a franchise
Franchising
Franchising is the practice of using another firm's successful business model. The word 'franchise' is of anglo-French derivation - from franc- meaning free, and is used both as a noun and as a verb....
arrangement whereby independently owned retail outlets adopted the Rexall trade name and sold Rexall products. The company was based in Boston, in an area now occupied by Northeastern University.
Rexall Train
The Rexall Train of March to November 1936 toured the United States and Canada to promote Rexall drug store products, and to provide the equivalent of a national convention for local Rexall druggists without the cost of travel. Free tickets for locals to see displays of Rexall products were available at local Rexall drug stores. The 29,000 mile tour went to 47 of the 48 contiguous states (missing Nevada) and to parts of Canada. The blue and white train of 12 air-conditioned Pullman cars with displays in 4 cars, convention facilities in 4 cars and a dining car was hauled by a streamlined 4-8-2 Mohawk locomotive, No 2783 from the New York Central RailroadNew York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
. It was the million dollar brainchild of Louis Liggett, who travelled in the rear observation car.
Growth
Justin Whitlock DartJustin Whitlock Dart
Justin Whitlock Dart, Sr. was considered the "boy wonder" of the drug store industry. In college Dart had played football for Northwestern University....
, formerly of the 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...
drugstore chain, took control of Boston-based United Drug Company in 1943. The chain operated under the Liggett, Owl, Sonta, and Rexall brands, which Dart rebranded under the Rexall name.
Rexall gained national exposure through its sponsorship of two famous classic American radio programs of the 1940s and 1950s: Amos and Andy and The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show
The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show
The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show, a comedy radio program which ran on NBC from 1948 to 1954, evolved from an earlier music and comedy variety program, The Fitch Bandwagon...
. Both shows were often opened by an advertisement from an actor (Griff Barnett) portraying "your Rexall family druggist", and included the catch phrase "Good health to all from Rexall." They also sponsored the Jimmy Durante
Jimmy Durante
James Francis "Jimmy" Durante was an American singer, pianist, comedian and actor. His distinctive clipped gravelly speech, comic language butchery, jazz-influenced songs, and large nose helped make him one of America's most familiar and popular personalities of the 1920s through the 1970s...
Show and there are references by the character Mr. Peavey in some of The Great Gildersleeve
The Great Gildersleeve
The Great Gildersleeve , initially written by Leonard Lewis Levinson, was one of broadcast history's earliest spin-off programs. Built around Throckmorton Philharmonic Gildersleeve, a character who had been a staple on the classic radio situation comedy Fibber McGee and Molly, first Introduced to...
radio shows. Rexall also sponsored "Richard Diamond, Private Detective
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
Richard Diamond, Private Detective is an American detective drama which aired on radio from 1949 to 1953, and on television from 1957 to 1960.-Radio:...
" starring Dick Powell
Dick Powell
Richard Ewing "Dick" Powell was an American singer, actor, producer, director and studio boss.Despite the same last name he was not related to William Powell, Eleanor Powell or Jane Powell.-Biography:...
from April 1950 until Camel replaced Rexall as the sponsor after the December 6, 1950 broadcast.
In 1946, United-Rexall Drug Inc. purchased the Renfro chain in 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...
. It also launched the Owl Superstores chain. In 1947, the company held a gala opening for their new headquarters and first store in Los Angeles, California. The new Hollywood Owl was reported in Life Magazine as 'the World's Biggest Drugstore'. In 1958, the Rexall Drug Company was the largest U.S. drug store franchise, with 11,158 stores (for comparison, there are fewer than 12,000 McDonald's restaurants in the U.S. today). Time Magazine noted that 2/3 of its stores were in areas where 1/3 of the population lived. However, this comprised more than 20% of all drug stores in the United States.
Dart sold his stake in Rexall in 1978. Dart had acquired stakes in West Bend
West Bend Company
The West Bend Company was a West Bend, Wisconsin company from 1911 to 2003. It manufactures aluminum cookware and electrical appliances, but also made two-stroke cycle engines including outboard boat motors. Art Ingels used a surplus West Bend engine to power the first kart...
, Duracell
Duracell
Duracell is a brand of batteries manufactured by Procter & Gamble.Additionally, Duracell owns the Procell professional-use brand.-Products:Duracell manufactures alkaline batteries in many common sizes, such as AAA, AA, C, D, and 9V...
, Hobart Corporation
Hobart Corporation
The Hobart Corporation is a manufacturer of commercial equipment used in the foodservice and grocery industry. The company manufactures food preparation machines for cutting, slicing and mixing, cooking equipment, refrigeration units, warewashing and waste disposal systems, and weighing, wrapping...
, Tupperware
Tupperware
Tupperware is the name of a home products line that includes preparation, storage, containment, and serving products for the kitchen and home, which were first introduced to the public in 1946....
, Ralph Wilson Plastics, and Archer Glass, which were collectively known as Dart Industries.
Decline
By the late 1950s, Rexall's business model of unitary franchised stores, with each store owned independently by the local pharmacist, was already coming under attack by the discount chains, such as Thrifty Drug and Eckerd. These well-financed corporate entities were able to drive down costs by means of block purchasing, and were focused on growth. By 1977, the value of the Rexall business had deteriorated to the point that it was sold to private investors for $16 million. The investors divested the company owned stores, though existing franchise retailers were able to keep the Rexall name. However, these tended to be weaker stores, and very few kept the name as time progressed. The company did continue to distribute vitamins, health foods, and plastic items.Across the United States there are still franchise retailers still using the Rexall name.
In the early 1980s, Rexall, headed by Howard K. Vander Linden, a third-generation Rexall employee, was the subject of a hostile takeover by an organization headed by Larry Brown. The company almost immediately slid into decline.
Rexall-Sundown
Sundown, a maker of sunscreenSunscreen
Sunblock is a lotion, spray, gel or other topical product that absorbs or reflects some of the sun's ultraviolet radiation on the skin exposed to sunlight and thus helps protect against sunburn...
s, acquired the Rexall trademark in 1985 and continued to produce nutritional supplements and remedies under the new name Rexall-Sundown, with no relationship to the remaining chain of Rexall drugstores, nor to the Canadian maker of medicines and sundries. Numico
Numico
Numico , is a specialist baby food and clinical nutrition subsidiary of Groupe Danone. Products range from infant formula to specialised nutrition for babies with specific needs and for breastfeeding mothers. It also produces and markets special clinical nutrition, diet products and...
acquired Rexall Sundown in 2000.Numico split up the Rexall divisions and divested them in 2003, selling the name Rexall-Sundown to NBTY
NBTY
NBTY, Inc., formerly known as Nature's Bounty, Inc., is a manufacturer of vitamins and nutritional supplements which are distributed under many third party brands in the United States and internationally. Its name was changed from Nature's Bounty, Inc. to NBTY, Inc...
, a US vitamin company, and the Unicity Network division was to be sold to Activated Holdings, a privately held company. The deal fell through and Unicity Network was sold to its management.
Dollar General and Rexall
In March 2010 Dollar GeneralDollar General
Dollar General Corp. is a U.S. chain of variety stores headquartered in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. As of January 2011, Dollar General operated over 9,300 stores in 35 U.S. states....
announced that it would be one of the exclusive retailers for Rexall-branded products. Customers can find various Rexall products in several of the retailer's categories, including over-the-counter medication, dental care, vitamins and supplements, foot care and first aid.
Sports venues
Rexall PlaceRexall Place
Rexall Place is an indoor arena in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada situated on the north side of Northlands. It is currently the home to the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League, the Edmonton Rush of the National Lacrosse League and the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL...
in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, in Canada is the home of both the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
, and the Edmonton Rush
Edmonton Rush
The Edmonton Rush is a professional lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League that started playing in the 2006 NLL season.The NLL announced that Edmonton, Alberta, Canada would receive an NLL franchise on May 5, 2005. They play their home games at Rexall Place...
of the National Lacrosse League
National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League is a men's professional indoor lacrosse league in North America. It currently has nine teams; three in Canada and six in the United States. Unlike other lacrosse leagues which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter and spring. Each year, the playoff...
. The Katz Group of Companies
Katz Group of Companies
Katz Group of Companies operates over 1,800 pharmacies in Canada and the United States. It is based in Edmonton, Alberta. Daryl Katz is chairman of the Katz Group of Companies.- Katz Group Canada :Katz Group Canada Ltd...
, which operates Rexall and Rexall PharmaPLus pharmacies and sells Rexall products in Canada, purchased the naming rights to the arena. Daryl Katz, head of the Katz Group, is the owner of the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club. The Rexall Centre
Rexall Centre
Rexall Centre is a tennis stadium in Toronto, Ontario. Rexall Centre is the venue for the professional Canada Masters tournament, held annually. The facility also is a year-round tennis training facility. The main stadium is occasionally used for seasonal concerts...
tennis courts are in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
also in Canada. Rexall is also the title sponsor of the Rexall Edmonton Indy IndyCar
IndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
race at Edmonton City Centre Airport.
External links
- 1958 Time Magazine article
- 1946 Time Magazine article
- 1949 Time Magazine article
- Rexall-Sundown history
- The Rexall Tradition
- Katz Group launches nationwide integration, branding campaign - PharmAssist - Drug Store News
- Rexall family of pharmacies
- Rexall Brand
- Meditrust Pharmacy
- The United Drug Company records, n.d. are located in the Northeastern University Libraries, Archives and Special Collections Department, Boston, MA.
- The Rexall Train; article, photo and map at ThemeTrains.com
- The Rexall Train at Fez City, Toronto (article and photo)