Top Retailers

PHILADELPHIA — Giant-Carlisle plans to open its first store in Philadelphia next week, the grocery chain said.

CHICAGO — Walgreens has acquired the 10-site retail pharmacy chain Carle Foundation, a pharmacy operator out of the Urbana-Champaign, Ill., area with the majority of stores located inside medical office buildings, according to Dresner Partners, which brokered the deal.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT — Size matters, especially if it’s the size of the monthly fuel bill. Just because gas prices haven’t eclipsed $5 as many analysts had feared, doesn’t mean those lower-than-expected prices at the pump aren’t impacting buying and trip decisions, as evidenced by this latest survey. 

CINCINNATI — Seattle-based retail pharmacy chain Bartell Drugs will use KSS Retail’s price modeling and optimization services to better understand its customers’ wants and needs and to provide value for its shoppers, KSS Retail said Monday.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Walk through Duane Reade’s new flagship store at 40 Wall St., and it is clear to see why this 22,000-sq.-ft. location is important.

(THE NEWS: Duane Reade's new flagship is glimpse of drug store of the future. For the full story, click here.) 

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS/pharmacy's ExtraCare Rewards program, which has more than 67 million active cardholders and this year celebrates its 10-year anniversary, announced on Friday the launch of a new interactive digital campaign that encourages cardholders to take advantage of their earned rewards, as well as a new look for the ExtraBucks rewards receipt.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Fitness and nutrition programs have been core parts of employer-based wellness programs before, including the ones Take Care operates for such employers as Harrah's Casinos. But, by taking an ownership position in the company that provides the fitness offering, Walgreens/Take Care has the opportunity to look for creative ways to bring new wellness-type programs to its stores through its retail clinics, perhaps even as part of a larger weight-loss management program.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens recently surpassed 1 million fans on Facebook, the pharmacy operator announced Friday, and also has integrated its network of more than 7,700 drug stores through mobile platforms on Facebook Places and Foursquare.

Consequently, Walgreens quickly has become the chain drug store retailer with the largest following on Foursquare, while developing a growing presence on other social communities, including Twitter and YouTube.