Discuss.
Eckerd, after being sold to Jean Coutu and CVS, has exited its heritage market in Florida. The modern chain store most identify with the Eckerd name had its start with Jack Eckerd's Florida chain, though other members of the Eckerd family controlled other Eckerd operations before they were consolidated into one company. It was long the only chain drugstore in many Southern towns. Walgreens has remained in Florida in selected markets for decades, but they have only entered others in the last few years. They also exited a number of Florida cities at the same time they closed many of their company stores nationwide. Many of their former Southern stores became Eckerd locations. Eckerd was definitely synonymous with drugstore in Florida. Eckerd had sort of lost its way long before JC Penney bought it, even though many blame its woes on JC Penney. Indeed, I believe it helped bring the former Thrift and Treasury JC Penney chains down. The rebadging to Eckerd was not the best idea; the Treasury stores had a lot more appeal than most Eckerd stores. In the early days, when Eckerd often located in Florida strips adjacent to Publix supermarkets, the stores were much like a scaled-down Walgreens, with little coffee shops in alcoves at the side of the stores. Though they built many nice new locations, including the ubiquitous corner stores, they did not update their operating methods and continued to have serious issues with price competitiveness and sale item availability. What could have been a marvelous synthesis between Eckerd and JC Penney with in-Eckerd store catalog desks in areas remote from the JC Penney stores was largely squandered. The possiiblity of using the JC Penney charge was the only "plus" touted by the company after the initial fanfare. Also, JC Penney employees received their employee discounts at Eckerd. A sad story for a once-great name. Hopefully, Jean Coutu will be a good steward of the name and trademarks. I worry, though, as Jean Coutu is rebadging its Brooks Pharmacy stores as Eckerd. Shades of JC Penney's decision-making.
And Eckerd took ove Thrift Drug. I miss Thrift Drug. Thats another place I worked at. I like Eckerd too though. Thats where I get my perscription. Been going there since Thrift Drug.
I'm sure alot of people will see that little sign. :insane:
My family would always shop at Thrift Drug, but then when the Eckerd change came around in 1997, prices shot up and stores were starting to look (and most still are) dirty, cramped, and out of date. We then migrated over to Drug Emporium and later Walgreens. I don't know how Eckerd is still around with so many old stores in old strip centers. (I can only think of one Eckerd store that is free standing that is remotely close to where I live)
My uncle has been managing an Eckerd since 1998.
JC Penney Bought Fays Drugs change the name to Eckerd
QuoteOriginally posted by shakethis1234
JC Penney Bought Fays Drugs change the name to Eckerd
Back in 1996, Eckerd bought out Thrift Drug. Since when did JC Penney own Eckerd? :huh:
I think JC Penney bought Eckerd (already a strong chain in their home turf of Florida and other Southern states) around 1996-1997 and then converted the stores they already owned (Thrift Drug) to the Eckerd name. Ironicly, Eckerd no longer operates where they started in the South (former Eckerd stores past Georgia and the midwest stores are now CVS)
Yes, it's true--Eckerd is gone in Florida and is now CVS. There was once an Eckerd in this ancient shopping center that had an Uptons and Usave supermarket (it is now being redeveloped; however, the Usave marquis sign from 1997/1998 is still up!) but is now a hardware store. It sat vacant for years, and just the other day I made out a totally vintage "ECKERD DRUGS" labelscar!
Yeah, I just got back from the beach, and these stores were everywhere... Never heard of them before this though.
Alot of Eckerds have gone out of business in the Pennsylvania and New Jersey area, but theres still plenty left.
Eckerd Grand Opening!!! :bounce: Most new Eckerds look like this.
Eckerd Flyer.
In memory of...
Eckerd.
Another.
And one with a cool sign. :cool:
QuoteOriginally posted by 76BraldorZayKamesfanBBTB
QuoteOriginally posted by storehistoryguy
In memory of...
Thats nice of them remembering the Columbia disaster they won't be forgotten.:hurt::(
On a lighter note anyone see Discoverey's perfect liftoff?:yup:
Notice the bird on top of the Eckerd sign.
The Eckerds here all moved out in front to new freestanding buildings with drive through pharmacy. This happened around 1997-1999. The north location went out of business and is still empty and the South one is now CVS. The store was rearranged, the photo lab removed and the bathrooms are now dirtier. In my old town nearby the local Eckerds went out of business from the stripmall several years back and is now a Save-A-Lot. Oddly it has not reopened in a new location.
About summer of 2001 we got our first Walgreens here. It is in a new freestanding location with drive through pharmacy and I love it.
Wow, I wish my area would have some newer Eckerds. Every one here (except 1 that I can think of in Huntington Valley, PA) is old and in a shopping center and was a former Thrift Drug. (Many times, the plastic shipping "boxes" they use still say Property of Thrift Drug and Co. on It). Walgreens and CVS are really killing them around here and I don't know how or why they are still open.
I wish we would have some newer Eckerds around here. I can only think of one new free standing one (Huntington Valley, PA). All the rest around me are in ancient strip centers and the stores are all "leftovers" from the Thrift Drug Days. (Many of the plastic shipping crates they use still say Property of Thrift Drug and Co. on them). I don't know how/why these stores are still open as CVS, Walgreens, and the many supermarket pharmacies are killing them.
Here is a picture of one of my nearby Eckerds:
(http://www.storetrax.com/images/centers/1376.jpg)
its to the left of the Shop 'n bag which is now some crappy tile and carpet place.
QuoteOriginally posted by MBZ321
Here is a picture of one of my nearby Eckerds:
(http://www.storetrax.com/images/centers/1376.jpg)
its to the left of the Shop 'n bag which is now some crappy tile and carpet place.
Thats in Warrington. When is that pic from?
I got it from a realtors website: www.metrocommerical.com
And notice on one of the pages they say the former Warminster Drug Emporium for Lease, but for some reason, they stuck in a picture of an Eckerd store:huh:
didi XCVS by then out or soemthing cayuse when i worked ther ethere was boxs with the logo on it
^they (CVS) only bought the southern and western stores. That would be odd if you see things with CVS on it.
Jean Coutu closing 78 more U.S. Eckerd pharmacies as it rebuilds brand
10:24 PM EDT Aug 03
LUANN LASALLE
MONTREAL (CP) - The Jean Coutu Group, North America's fourth-largest drugstore chain, said Wednesday it will close 78 money-losing Eckerd outlets in the United States as it continues to reshape the brand.
"Let's say that they were cash-flow negative," said Michel Coutu, head of the Montreal-based company's U.S. operations. "Let's say they were losing money and we won't suffer from that burden going forward," he said, without providing specific financial details of the coming closures.
The closures were announced during a conference call to discuss Coutu's latest financial results, which included fourth-quarter profit jumping to $46.2 million from a year-earlier 32.6 million US.
The Jean Coutu Group bought 1,549 Eckerd stores in 2004, making it a major drugstore chain in North America.
Coutu said his organization is committed to long-term results for the Eckerd stores and "not for quarterly results," adding, "You do not turn around the Titanic overnight."
More pharmacists have been hired for the Eckerd drugstores with better compensation, he said.
"Our retention rate has been what I would call excellent," he said of Eckerd's pharmacists.
He also noted that Eckerd was a "pioneer" in photography and photo processing and can also process digital photos, a trend the stores can capitalize on. They will also focus on the sale of beauty products.
The remaining Eckerd stores, even though not all have a positive cash flow, have "the opportunity to become very good stores," Coutu said.
The firm has 1,922 Brooks and Eckerd drugstores in the United States.
CEO Francois Coutu said his drugstore chain has made considerable progress during what he called a "transformational year."
"During the fourth quarter, we continued to make good progress and have recently completed the IT integration of Brooks Eckerd Pharmacy.
"We look forward to capturing integration cost savings since we eliminated the dual head office infrastructures during the first quarter of fiscal 2006."
On the Canadian front, he said seven new PJC stores will be opened and 15 relocated in 2006. The company's private PJC label, Personnelle, also will be relaunched this fall.
Revenues for the quarter ended May 28 were up 216 per cent at $2.8 billion US.
Quarterly earnings amounted to 18 cents a share and compared with 14 cents per share a year ago. Analysts on average had forecast earnings of 19 cents a share, excluding one-time items, according to Thomson Financial.
Fourth-quarter Canadian revenue increased by 3.7 per cent, excluding the impact of currency exchange rate fluctuations. U.S. operations generated total revenues of $2.4 billion, an increase of 425 per cent over the previous year's fourth quarter.
For the full year, profit declined to $104.4 million US, or 41 cents a share, from $132.7 million US, or 58 cents per share, in the previous year - held back by integration costs and store closure costs - even as revenue tripled to $9.6 billion US from $3 billion US.
The firm reports in U.S. dollars.
During the fourth quarter, 40 drugstores were opened, of which 14 were relocations and 16 were closed. On May 28, there were 2,243 stores in the system. In Canada, there are 321 Canadian PJC stores.
Jean Coutu Group shares rose $1.24 to close at $19.50 Cdn on the Toronto stock market Wednesday.
? The Canadian Press, 2005
An old Eckerd!
(http://www.sptimes.com/2004/04/11/images/large/A_1_eckerd1__0411.jpg)
(http://www.sptimes.com/2004/04/11/images/large/A_1_eckerd6_179952_0411.jpg)
http://www.sptimes.com/
Look at the bottom sign, it changes!
(http://www.adtechintl.com/images/eckerds.gif)
http://www.adtechintl.com/applications/business.htm
Wow! Check out this Eckerd with an old Eckerd truck taken on 7/19/60.
(http://www.cmstory.org/exhibit/observer/18b.jpg)
http://www.cmstory.org/exhibit/observer/everyday.htm
here is the eckerd drug in east brunswick nj
from http://www.siteride.com/srpl/p_snapshot.pl?lm=listing&resbox=1137868996&subNum=10215000368
here is the thrift drug that became eckerd in rockaway nj
from http://www.siteride.com/srpl/p_snapshot.pl?lm=listing&resbox=1137874679&subNum=10208000481
here is the old lookg of eckerd drug in ramsey nj
from http://www.siteride.com/srpl/p_snapshot.pl?lm=listing&resbox=1137886729&subNum=50205000044
QuoteOriginally posted by d_fife
here is the old lookg of eckerd drug in ramsey nj
from http://www.siteride.com/srpl/p_snapshot.pl?lm=listing&resbox=1137886729&subNum=50205000044
here is a new lookg of the eckerd drug in ramsey nj
from http://www.siteride.com/srpl/p_snapshot.pl?lm=listing&resbox=1137886729&subNum=50205000044
Here are three Eckerd's:
Top is in Schenectady (Route 7 Crosstown plaza) - this one shares a roof with the (former) Price Chopper next door - the Eckerd doors are just tot the right of the 2nd column - the windows on the far right are part of the grocery store.
Middle is East Greenbush - it shares the former Albany Public buiding with an Empire Vision. Note the chipping paint on the roof - the aqua color you see is from Albany Public (even though the building has been painted red(Big Al's), brown(Fays) and Dark Blue (Eckerds - i think twice) since then.
Bottom is a new store on Route 7 between Schenectady and Latham - free standing - the all brick design and name in just white letters is different than most I've seen.
The first shot is a typical newer Eckerd in Hudson (Greenport) (on the opposite corner of the new CVS) - they used to be up in the Jamesway plaza where Save A Lot is now.
The second is the Catskill store - it's right where Rt. 9W meets Rt. 385 - it's an older store (has been there since the Fays days), but is freestanding and looks like something else was there (the building next door is a car dealer, but was a Great American at one time).
This is the Eckerd on Delaware Avenue in Albany - this was here as Fays years back and is in a strip plaza.
First is the (newer) store in Watervliet - they moved from a location in the Price Chopper Plaza.
2nd is the location in the plaza across from Hudson Valley Community College in Troy - a standard store in the corner of the plaza.
3rd is the store on Route 4 in North Troy - this a building with just the Eckerd and Price Chopper (to the right) - no other stores.
You'd think no one else posted on this post!
Anyhow, here are a few more stores:
1st is the store in Saugerties (Route 9W) - they have just remodeled this plaza, including the unusual Red Eckerd sign (had a standard one previously).
2nd is the Western Ave store just down from UAlbany - this is part of the former ShopRite building and does have a drive-thru (on the end of the building) - Eckerd has done this in a couple places in older buildings. Opened as Fays not too long before the change to Eckerd.
3rd is the store in the 20 Mall in Guilderland on Western Avenue. This store is just about a block from the intersection of 20&155 with the CVS & new Walgreens. Older store (from Fays), may have been a previous Price Chopper location in the plaza.
Last is the store in Westgate Plaza in Albany. Moved here (along with Price Chopper) from the plaza next door as Fays. This location in Westgate (approximately) was a Brooks years back, but had closed before the transition to Revco (which all remianing Brooks in this part of NY made) - so now it's back to Brooks control!
The first store is the store in Cobleskill on Route 7 - this one was a Fays (as you can see they never bothered to paint the roof). There was also another location just down the street for a time, but I don't know why or how that happened.
The second is the store in Oneonta - in with the Price Chopper on Route 7.
It seems all newly remodeled Eckerds are getting red signs (they are trying to match it up with Brooks color scheme). One near me just got a new exterior (the interior is still very dark and dirty) and they put up a red sign. Another remodeled one got a white sign, but this is just to match the rest of the center.
here is the one in syracuse ny in shop city shopping center
Check Out this vintage Eckerd sign! And this picture was taken this year outside a store in Georiga. There's probably only a few left like this.
This is the (former) Eckerd on State Street (Route 5) at Brandywine Ave. in Schenectady.
It was relatively new, and must have closed sometime over the last 6 months or so - not announced at all. There is a Rite-Aid across the intersection kitty-corner, and CVS used to be just down the block (they moved farther down toward Mohawk Mall). There is also another older Eckerd at Watt St. & Route 7, about 1 to 1-1/2 miles away, give or take.
I saw a brand new corner Eckerd somewhere in NJ today that must have just opened very recently. It had all red exterior signage...just the first new store I have seen in years!
the one in malone ny
the one in dewitt ny
the one in the eastview mall in victor ny (15 minutes from rochester ny)
eckerd drugs in warren pa
Eckerd (and Brooks) are now officially part of Rite Aid. Bye bye Eckerd and you're insanely overpriced, out of date, and under staffed stores! :bouncing:
Here's the Eckerd in DeWitt, New York inside Shoppingtown Mall. Taken May 22, 2007.
Here's the Eckerd in DeWitt, New York inside Shoppingtown Mall. Taken May 22, 2007.
Check this place out inside!
Here's the Eckerd in DeWitt, New York inside Shoppingtown Mall. Taken May 22, 2007.
Here's the Eckerd in DeWitt, New York inside Shoppingtown Mall. Taken May 22, 2007.
I think Nintendo would be displeased.
The Triforce, haha that's great.. :bounce:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but that looks to be the styling of stores from the Fay's Drugs Days. I swear that Fays was using that Symbol right up to when they were bought out.
It most likely was. Most Eckerd's, unless built new, have never seen a remodel from whatever chain they were before. All of the strip center stores near me still contain the former Thrift Drug decor (plus if u look closely some of the shipping containers and carts still say Thrift Drug on them.
Yep - definitely the last of the Fays designs. You could just take that Eckerd logo off the (interior) wall and switch it back to a Fays one and it'd be all set to go.
QuoteOriginally posted by powersbt
Correct me if I'm wrong, but that looks to be the styling of stores from the Fay's Drugs Days. I swear that Fays was using that Symbol right up to when they were bought out.
All of the Eckerd Pharmacy stores are now rebranded Rite Aid
Except in Florida where all are rebranded as CVS.
Greensburg, PA we have 2 Eckerd Drug Stores here in town. Their name badges say Rite Aid, their signs say Eckerd. I used to work for the one on Route 30 Greengate Plaza, but I got fired for medical reasons. How do you like that one? I still have friends that work there, one girl was the photo lab technician and when they removed the lab and changed to Rite Aid, she decided to become defiant and wear her Photo Lab Technician name badge instead of Customer Service. Their shirts were changed from Eckerd blue to Rite Aid red. Some of the store was changed around a little, but not very much, and that could have been before the Rite Aid changeover. The store seemed darker inside though, as if the lighting had been changed. Next time I'm up there, probably tomorrow or the next day, I'll snake some pics for you. Will try to get to the one on the other side of town as well. By the way, both stores are freestanding.
I looked at Wikipedia today and found that Eckerd is now listed on there as a Defunct Pharmacy Chain. It's kind of sad in a way...I guess considering I used to work there...I'm working on getting pictures of the 2 Eckerd's in my town for you before they officially put up a Rite Aid sign. Blech...
This is the former eckerd in Egg Harbor City NJ. By the way, this topic should be moved to the Closed Chains board....
Former A&P, Fay's, and Eckerd in Jim Thorpe, PA. This A&P closed in 1993, not 1982 like the ones in the Philadelphia area.
They have many stores in the Philadelphia area from before the Thrift Drug takeover. Just look at the ones that were called "Eckerd Drugs" in the 60's or the drive thru stores from the early 90's. Most of the acquired stores got remodeled too.
QuoteOriginally posted by videogamer75
This is the former eckerd in Egg Harbor City NJ. By the way, this topic should be moved to the Closed Chains board....
Was this a newer one?
No, that was actually an old main-street building built YEARS ago. Eckerd just happened to occupy it.
QuoteOriginally posted by videogamer75
No, that was actually an old main-street building built YEARS ago. Eckerd just happened to occupy it.
Do you know if the clock was newer? Or the Eckerd?
I think the clock is newer then the Eckerd.
I looked and didn't see an Eckerd topic (strange I coulda sworn there was one lol)
So here is a picture of a closed eckerd near me that was in the Mayfair Shopping Center. There is a rite aid about a block away so it made sense that they were gonna close this one.
took these 2 pics today
(http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/4752/closedoutside.jpg)
(http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/9101/insideclosed.jpg)
Quote from: EddieJ1984 on March 19, 2010, 07:17:40 PM
I looked and didn't see an Eckerd topic (strange I coulda sworn there was one lol)
There probably was, but a lot of thread titles got messed up when they moved the message board to the new server. They fixed some of them, but it takes a lot of man power to catch them all.
Yeah I was thinking that also, browsing the topics I couldn't find what it may have been.
So until then I guess this is good, and if its found I guess the post could be moved to it.
I don't see one either but am sure there would have been one (I probably posted photos of some of our local stores) - I even checked the "Stores" category, thinking it might have been there had it been started BEFORE they closed down, but still nothing that looked like it.
I found a few others that needed title changes and noted those, though (and changed a couple where I happened to have been the first poster and could edit the subject)
All of our Eckerd's are CVS.
The eckerd I posted pics of above, is becoming an Aaron's.
Quote from: EddieJ1984 on June 26, 2012, 07:57:30 AM
The eckerd I posted pics of above, is becoming an Aaron's.
The Eckerd near me became an ADVANCED AUTO PARTS...
all of my Eckerds are now Rite Aids and for some reason we have several instances where rite aid is right across from each other.
Quote from: buzz86us on July 08, 2012, 02:49:58 AM
all of my Eckerds are now Rite Aids and for some reason we have several instances where rite aid is right across from each other.
Surprising that there are still some like that - around here many of the duplicates were closed just after Rite Aid took over (particularly where the Eckerd was an older store). They did keep both locations for a while in a couple spots, but they have since closed one of them (even the existing Rite Aid where the Eckerd was a newer building).
They do still have additional stores, but mainly where they were not too close (example - on Rt 9/20 in Rensselaer/East Greenbush/Schodack - they kept the existing Rite Aid in Schodack and East Greenbush, closed the Eckerd in East Greenbush (diagonal across from the Rite Aid and in an old grocery building, no drive thru) and kept the Eckerd in Rensselaer (newer freestanding w/drive thru) so they now have 3 stores rather than 2, but spaced out over the corridor.
Of course, we could also point out that Rite Aid had a store in Rensselaer they closed quite some time ago (which later became the Eckerd before they moved to the newer store) - and one near the former Ames in East Greenbush as well that closed then a few years later they opened the existing one farther up.
An Eckerd near me (in 2007 it became a Rite Aid which closed less than a month ago) was a former WT Grant dime store that began its drugstore life as a Thrift Drug, owned by JCPenney. What's really weird is that Eckerd never replaced all the light fixtures at this store even though they did at almost all the other Thrift Drugs they bought, and this particular store had lighting that looked almost exactly the same as the lighting used at a lot of Kmart stores that used to be Grant City stores (the sister chain of WT Grant). But I'm pretty sure neither Kmart nor Thrift Drug would have kept the original Grants lighting because most Grants stores of both formats were already pretty old and outdated by the time the chain went out of business, and that was way back in 1976.
Here's another strange coincidence: I know of only one other Thrift Drug/Eckerd/Rite Aid that never had its original lighting redone by Eckerd (but the lighting here isn't the same as at the store that was a WT Grant either), and a section of this store on the right side has a much lower ceiling than the rest of the store because Thrift Drug expanded the store into what used to be a flower shop... and here's what's really weird: lots of the Kmart stores that started as Grant City reused the Grant City snack bars, which often had the exact same ceiling height as the expanded section of the Thrift Drug, even though this Thrift Drug never was a Grants...