Top 5 Forgotten Drug Stores

Here we discover the Top 5 Forgotten Drug Store chains that once existed. Some Drug Stores still exist today, but not as many as we've seen between the 1970s and 1990s. Today's customers turn to CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, and Walmart. It wasn't long ago before they invested money in the now-defunct pharmacies such as Eckerd, Revco, and Thrift Drug.
With the impacts of COVID-19, pharmacies have seen heavy foot traffic for supplement needs and vaccinations. If you are excited to ride down memory lane, we have a Top 5 list of the most recognizable Pharmacy Stores that are no longer here to develop your photos in 1 hour.
Social Media:
/ sheednomicsonthego (Instagram)
/ sheednomicsonthego (Facebook Page)
sheednomics.blogspot.com/ (Official Blog)
/ retailway (Retail Way Group)
Narrator: Preston / _p_scott
Script & Video Production
Rasheed Stevens (Sheednomics)
🎥 Official Video Script Is Below Starting at Number #5🔻
Thrift Drug #5 (1:06 - 2:14)
Brooks Pharmacy #4 (2:15 - 4:16)
Phar Mor #3 (4:17 - 6:00)
Revco #2 (6:01- 8:22)
Eckerd #1 (8:23 - 11:05)
(Important Links & Sources)
Video Clips
Eckerd Commercial: • Eckerd's drug store ad...
Thrift Drug Commercial: • Thrift Drug (1994)
Thrift Drug Commercial (2): • Thrift Drug Commercial...
Phar-Mor Commercial: • Video
Revco Commercial: • Video
Brooks Pharmacy Commerical: • November 7, 1989 comme...
JCPenney Commercial (1): • JC Penny Commercial 1997
JCPenney Commercial (2): • JCPenney Commercial
JCPenney Commercial (3): • JCPenney Credit Card C...
CVS Store Tour: • Ellen and First Lady M...
CVS Commercial: • America’s Choice for V...
Walgreens Commercial: • Video
Kerr Drug Commercial: • 1980 Kerr Drug Stores ...
Walmart Footage: • Panic-buying at Long I...
Target Commercial: • Target "Pink Pepto" Co...
Pictures and Articles (Credit not mentioned in the video)
observer-reporter.com/news/lo...
historicpittsburgh.org/island...
bradystewartphoto.photoshelte...
Pictures and Articles
therealdeal.com/2020/03/23/th...
therealdeal.com/chicago/2018/...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook%27...
/ 561120434818444603
skycity2.blogspot.com/2010/05/...
** Some Pictures and Videos are from other sources with proper credit given in the video and the description listed above. If you believe credit was not given properly, send me a direct email so that it can be added to the video.**
#pharmacy #defunct #walgreens

[@sandyj479]

I started working for Rite Aid over 30 yrs ago and retired 3 years ago. The purchase of the Eckerd stores was their downfall. Rite Aid has never recovered from that. I believe in the near future you will be adding Rite Aid to your list of out of business drug stores.

[@undergroundretail]

I never heard of Rite Aid until they converted our local Eckerd stores in Georgia. You are correct Rite Aid has been loosing stores and the ones near me have been converted to Walgreens.

[@devileaterinthahowse]

Loved Eckerd. Went there with my mother one day in the rain and all of a sudden a fat white man approached me and told me hey sweet pea, have a kiss and gave me a Hershey's kiss he had in his hand. I was so touched I even wrote a poem about it in Summer 2016.

[@TT.4_]

I used to love to go to Eckerds growing up in 2000-2004, mainly because their candy always had good prices. Miss those years.

[@davidsquires154]

I,live in Detroit, Michigan. There, was Cunningham Drugstores, became Perry Drugstores, then Rite Aid bought the Cunningham/Perry Drug,which were rebranded Rite Aid Pharmacy. There, was the Arbor Drugs, and CVS Pharmacy bought Arbor Drugs and rebranded Arbor Drugs to CVS Pharmacy.

[@johnnywadd7960]

Remember Concord Pharmacy?

[@Dh-rp7gg]

Thanks I was going to ask what happened to Perry Drugs I worked there for 5 yrs as the customer service manager. In Wyoming,MI I moved out of state in 91 and came back to visit in 2002 and it was a rite aid 🤔

[@pilotgrrl1]

Never went to Eckerd, but I've heard that a CVS near me that closed recently had been an Eckerd store. I do miss Phar-mor, they always had screaming deals.

[@undergroundretail]

Thanks for watching! All the former Eckerds near me have been demolished

[@frankdenardo8684]

@@undergroundretail I lived in Arizona and they had Ekard that was in 2004 and in 2005 the chain was purchased by CVS Pharmacy. In California, they bought Long's Drugs and they also became CVS. Also you should have mentioned Thrifty, Pay Less, Rexall, Bill's Drugs, Peoples Drugs.

[@stanford-nf4jk]

I never had the chance to go to the pharmacies on the list, but I remember how CVS was in the 80s. The employees were always friendly. My gramma would take me along and usually buy me a treat in the form of old timey candy. It was like 39 cents for orange slices, circus peanuts, cinnamon bears, sour lemon drops, non pariels, fruity gum drops, licorice gum drops and those strawberry wrapped candies with the jelly center. Thanks for stirring up those old memories!

[@undergroundretail]

Glad you enjoyed the video and Thanks for sharing the story!! 😊

[@onewomanandsomesongs]

I used to work at Eckerd in my 20s. That was over 40 years ago. I loved that job, and I have very fond memories of my co-workers. Working in retail can be hard, but we were all like family, so it made my time there pretty special.

[@larrycj4382]

My neighborhood had a few locally-owned pharmacies until Genovese Drug Stores (NY area chain) became the first chain drug store to open in the late 1970s. It was then acquired by Eckerd's, then Rite Aid. Now it is a Walgreens (who acquired part of the Rite Aid chain). I miss the predecessors, as this Walgreens location sells less items, as they removed an entire aisle to redesign the store! I now order online from either Rite Aid or Walmart!

[@valerieannrumpf4151]

I used to work at genovese drug stord at the Medford ,NY location back in the 80s and 90s before it was acquired by eckerds, that location is now a rite Aid pharmacy. Man I miss those days.

[@Artessnow]

Where I grew up in Central Virginia we had Peoples Drug store. They then became Revco and finally CVS.

[@undergroundretail]

Thanks for Watching! Which store concept did you like the best?

[@jmed412]

My mom, sister and aunt all worked at Thrift Drug and later Eckerd's. Thrift drug used sponsor a bicycle race in my hometown.

[@roselyncampisi822]

We had a lot of revco store here in Cleveland. They were the worst. My family changed and went to another chain because revco was so bad in the phamacy

[@undergroundretail]

Thanks for Watching! I never knew they were that bad.

[@thomasreyes1565]

I remember revco

[@undergroundretail]

Thanks for Watching! Did you ever shop there?

[@thomasreyes1565]

Yes all the time

[@KatelynJewel]

During my early childhood, my parents and I lived in an apartment that was near a building that had an Ingles and an Eckerd. These were two of the first stores I remember going to as a kid along with BI-LO. I know a lot of our photos were printed at that Eckerd as well as K-Mart. Sometime after my parents and I moved out of the apartment, the Ingles and Eckerd both closed leaving the building to be empty for many years with only a mark of the Ingles logo showing what it used to be. The building was finally demolished a few years ago.

[@undergroundretail]

Ahhh, Forgot all about Ingles. You might also like this video on Forgotten Grocery Stores I did. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gXu0hXqFZbGVd6M

[@KatelynJewel]

@@undergroundretail Thanks. I've seen that one. Thankfully Ingles is still around, just not the one from my early childhood.

[@ghw7192]

Rexall was the big chain when I was growing up in Western North Carolina. I was working at Kerr Drugs when they were sold to Walgreens. I lasted one year with Walgreens, didn't like them and moved on.

[@Prof_Jeff]

I have heard of all of these, shopped at most at some point in my life. Rexall was another big chain I remember from my childhood. It seemed like every city and town had one of Rexall, Thrift, Revco, or Brooks. Glad to see you mention Fays being among those stores that were re-branded as Eckerd: Fays were all over upstate NY in the '70s and '80s; I remember the change-over to Eckerd being not too popular among the longtime Fays customers.

[@caspence56]

I remember Rexall and Rea & Derrick drug stores from my childhood.

[@glennso47]

Rockford Illinois had a chain of drug stores called PharMor. The stores are closed today.

[@undergroundretail]

Thanks for Watching! What drug stores are currently in your area?

[@glennso47]

@@undergroundretail Currently we have lots of CVS and Walgreens stores. Walmart Pharmacy also. I don’t know of any other chains. There might be some but I don’t know where they might be. I’m thinking that Meijers Store might have a pharmacy but I have never shopped there so I don’t know. I am a veteran and I get most of my medicine from the VA Pharmacy in Madison Wisconsin by mail. 😐

[@gsipp00]

PharMor also an interesting story which was destroyed by management.

[@kellycunningham9920]

Rexall Drugs and Hooks Drugs were in our town, sadly gone.

[@soldiersgirl9195]

Nice job Rasheed! Proud of you old friend. Oh as a kid you always tried to get a hold of me by a high pitched voice now I have to say God did good work in helping your voice get deeper! Makes good listening to as you fall asleep mom says!

[@undergroundretail]

Thanks for Watching and Tuning In!

[@soldiersgirl9195]

@@undergroundretail We need to catch up some time. I'll watch your channel anytime!

[@serveaux]

When I was a kid in the 80s we had a People's Drug in our mall. I played my first arcade game there. It was Pac-Man, I played it while standing on a milk crate a cashier kindly provided. Years later it became a CVS. I'm not sure if they bought them out or just took over the empty space? Anyway, great video, I spent over 20 years working in retail and I find your content fascinating.

[@stanford-nf4jk]

Cool! I used to love PAC-MAN! It was one of the games that sparked my interest in video games.

[@jodywight3948]

Revco became CVS! I miss Pharmor too!

[@jons.6216]

Here in SF CA we've had some major changes in the drugstore landscape since I moved here in 1990! First to go were the aged looking Merrill's Drugs by the late 90s! Down the road is where Payless Drugs disappeared and Long's was taken over by CVS! Only four Rite Aid stores came and unfortunately went by the 2000s! Walgreens had a major monopoly here but lately they've been closing several locations due in large part to theft! I'm hoping Rite Aid might get the opportunity to come back!

[@undergroundretail]

Thanks for Watching! Those are great suggestions and recommendations of pharmacies. Walgreens and CVS are currently running a monopoly in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Rite Aid's are located in the more blighted areas.

[@glennso47]

@@undergroundretail That is the Rockford Illinois area as well. CVS and Walgreens are monopolies in the drugstore business here too. Walgreens stores in San Francisco are closing because the state of California is not prosecuting thefts of less than 900 dollars. I don’t know how any business would be able to survive in that kind of environment.

[@angelodelacuesta3882]

We had Eckert drugs down in Miami in the 70s ,I wondered what happen 2 it,so sad its gone.

[@amybrown8305]

You forgot Thrifty Drug in California. Worked for them, they merged with Payless then were bought out by Rite Aid. Worked there for over 10 yrs

[@undergroundretail]

That a great Suggestion!

[@stanwebb3480]

What happen Rexall RX stores?????

[@undergroundretail]

Looks like the Rexall chain dissolved in the 1970's and Dollar General owns the naming rights.

[@benjimartinnc]

I used to shop at Revco before CVS bought them out and Eckerd before Rite Aid bought out those locations in North Carolina and later got bought out by Walgreens.

[@BIGBLOCK5022006]

I remember the REVCO that was next door to Shop & Save Groceries in El Reno Oklahoma. When they were having their store closing sale I got a pair of sunglasses that had mirrors on the sides of the lenses.

[@cmmolthr]

Sav-on was big in CA and NV, acquired by CVS

[@undergroundretail]

Great suggestion! Never heard of that one before.

[@user-xr8co4oi8h]

Cunningham's was big in Detroit.

[@undergroundretail]

Great suggestion!

[@virginiaconnor8350]

We used to go to a Treasury Drug; it was also run-like Treasure Island-by JC Penny's. The Jacob's Drugs near me became a Revco. More modern, but they got rid of their soda counter. There was a drug store in the Cheshire Bridge Plaza neighbourhood near the Lindberg MARTA station. I don't remember the name of it, but it wasn't too bad. The Revo pharmacy near me got my prescription mixed up with another; fortunately, I discovered the error before we got home. A neighbour using Kroger's wasn't so lucky 2x. Her daughter got sick from salmonella from some unrefrigerated food and her husband died of a bad generic cold medicine. Walgreens and CVS are too expensive.

[@undergroundretail]

Thanks for watching and I forgot all about Treasury Drug! I definitely need a Part 2 to this video. I wonder if that building is still standing to this day? I don't stay too far from Lindberg MARTA station. Sorry to hear about the loss as well. Walgreens and CVS are indeed expensive.

[@kali3665]

Wall Drug was one store that came up when I noticed the video, but you didn't mention them. I remember them primarily from MST3K since they always loved mocking the signs "Wall Drug - xx miles" that seemed to be everywhere in Minnesota. I vaguely remember Eckerds, but I am not quite sure why. I think because the brand seemed to be everywhere for a long time, if not necessarily the stores itself. I think there may have been an Eckerds in my home town, but it became Drug King later. Which, later, was bought out by CVS.

[@undergroundretail]

Great Suggestion! Just did some research on that chain. Eckerds was indeed a household name along with Phar Mor and Revco.

[@Embargoman]

I remember Eckerd in Florida.

[@ValerieDee123]

I find it odd that CVS and Walgreens can buy anything, and the others are blocked. Hmmm who are these companies paying?

[@fortysomethingbadgirls2173]

Always wondered what happened to Eckerd drugs here in Oklahoma. Soo many have come and gone.

[@undergroundretail]

Thanks For Watching 😃 ! Rite Aid took over 😔

[@virginiaconnor8350]

@@undergroundretail The Eckerd store across from Kennestone Hosp.-in Ga.-was taken over by Rite Aid and they still haven't opened. Must've been Covid that closed them down-or lack of labour to open them.

[@socksal]

I remember that Phar-Mors were huge.

[@undergroundretail]

I just remember Eckerd. Have you ever shopped at Phar-Mors?

[@02chevyguy]

Revco always had the best prices on photo developing. And they were true to their word on when they would be back in the store for pick-up. I don't care for CVS. I'll go to the one that's near me on rare occasions. CVS prices are even MORE EXPENSIVE than Walgreen's.

[@flemingboineau7613]

Anyone remember Revco

[@lillydee5978]

Never heard of them, what about Rexall and Super Drug?

[@cecoya]

Used to be a drug store here just "RX" that went to be a Walgreens then gone.

[@undergroundretail]

Never heard of that one! I will check them out 😀

[@willielarimer7170]

Miss phar-more could get a 6pack of coke for 99 cents, Eckards was a home away from home, even Rite aid is gone

[@undergroundretail]

Eckerd was my favorite out of all drug stores. Now I just have CVS and Walgreens around.

[@too9593]

Longs drugs was my favorite. I could always find random unique things there.

[@undergroundretail]

Never heard of them before. What region were they located in?

[@too9593]

@@undergroundretail in California Redlands San Bernardino actually all over California I believe CVS bought them

[@jamessatterfield7667]

I remember Longs as well as Thrifty Drug. I grew up in Upland,CA. Both were great!

[@too9593]

@@jamessatterfield7667 yes indeed

[@MentoPrisym]

8:19 thats literally how the cvs near me looks

[@undergroundretail]

Same here 😊! Legacy Revco building.

[@kathrynwatts273]

You forgot to mention Rexall Drug store.

[@undergroundretail]

Right!!? Maybe in a Part 2.

[@codybrandoncargle3129]

Omg I love and miss Eckerds one of my favorite childhood drugstores of all time, they were a lot nicer than Rite Aid by a long shot, I say CVS of today’s standards are definitely how Eckerds was then, because before Walgreens for the longest time was super similar to Eckerds except nicer, but now Walgreens and CVS are both the same which really sucks this pandemic has ruined the uniqueness of both drugstores. 🤔

[@undergroundretail]

Eckerds was one of my childhood stores when I was a kid as well. I never heard of a Rite Aid until they were bought out. Sadly i'm too young to remember Thrift Drug or Revco 😔.

[@codybrandoncargle3129]

@@undergroundretail Awesome I am glad we both grew up with Eckerds and yes I have never heard of Rite Aid until the merger in 2007 either! 🤔 And yeah Thrift Drug wasn’t as common in my parents day, but my mom used to love Revco for sure! 🤔

[@thomasbryton]

You forgot Big B before Revco bought it out

[@kevinstonerock3158]

I’ve been trying to remember the name of a pharmacy that had a black onyx facade that had black and white mini tiles for the floor that was located in Greenville Ohio as late as the sixties. This was one that still had a soda fountain and counter before it closed.

[@virginiaconnor8350]

Not Jacob's Drugstore? They had a counter too, but I don't remember the floor. The Revo near me took over me and was run by some ME foreigners who'd lock the bathroom doors and follow you around the store. They also hacked ip their prices for certain customers. They ran some convenience stores that did the same in Chamblee and only let one customer in at a time, even my h.s.principal and some teachers, but not others.

[@kevinstonerock3158]

No, it was a relatively well known chain of drugstores from the 60’s. This was in Greenville Ohio.

[@angelaedwards3733]

What about K&B Drug and Fred’s?

[@undergroundretail]

Those are Great Suggestions! Looks like I need to do a Part 2.

[@SchuylerT.Colfax]

You didn't mention Rexall.

[@octoberdawn1087]

Big B drugs

[@mikecrawford9323]

What about Pay 'n' Save, Skaggs Drug, SavOn Drugs, Payless Drugs Northwest, Payless Drugs California, Thrifty Drug, and Long's Drug? You skipped the whole western half of the country!

[@emmayoung736]

Happy Harry's?

[@undergroundretail]

Great Suggestion! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Harry%27s

[@COMPFUNK2]

Drug Emporium Perry Drug Rexall Snyder Drug

[@44bthknuckles]

u forgot drug fair

[@undergroundretail]

You are Correct! 😭

[@cynthiachavis9678]

Rexall a original apothacary

[@undergroundretail]

Never heard of this chain until now.

[@mrbob8618]

I worked at Hooks in early 1980s. The Hooks store in the video is where i worked.. new castle indiana

[@undergroundretail]

Oh wow 🤩