Groceteria.com Message Board

Hi all. Just a quick preemptive note now that the merger is actually happening. Let's please try to keep this topic focused on HISTORY rather than any current operational issues with Eckerd, per the forum rules.

Thanks,
David

Groceteria,I posted some photos of former Eckerd locations in the Corning, NY area. I don't think these are what you want. These were taken after Eckerds left them and the signs were removed. Also the pictures suck. If you think you can use them in your Eckerd's archives you can download them.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/drpep1024/tags/eckerd

Thanks. Every little bit helps. I think I've actually seen a photo of that store in the old building somewhere else too.

A few more from the Elmira/Horseheads area.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/drpep1024/tags/eckerd1

Eckerd to Rite Aid conversions have begun in my immediate area with one on State Route 30 in Amsterdam being the first that I know of.

I have only seen one conversion so far. In Griffin Georgia. The "conversion" simply changed the old Eckerd sign to Rite Aid.

Compare "before" location

http://www.edricfloyd.com/dscn4237.jpg

And "after" location (in Griffin Georgia)
http://www.edricfloyd.com/GriffinEckerdRteAid.JPG

http://www.edricfloyd.com/GriffinRiteaid.JPG

I already posted a photo of a more vintage Eckerd Drugs location in Fitzgerald Georgia.

Here is the same location in a more recent photo.
It is still open and will convert to Rite Aid.

http://www.edricfloyd.com/fitzgeraldEckerd.JPG

http://www.edricfloyd.com/fitzgeraldeckerdsign.JPG

http://www.edricfloyd.com/fitzgeraldeckerdWD.JPG

It was next door to a former Winn Dixie.

The shopping center was built in 1978. The Winn Dixie built a new store next to the old one in the 1990's (Marketplace) which became a Piggly Wiggly in late 2005.

Yuck. They could have at least redone the fading blue paint. Hopefully Rite Aid has a better remodeling plan drawn up.

I've moved the discussion of Rite-Aid and its sign replacements for acquired chains here:

http://www.groceteria.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=1975

Again, let's please try to keep this thread focused on Eckerd and its history.

Thanks,
David

The Eckerd Stores in middle georgia acutally were very good stores and actually in good locations most of the time

Riverside Dr (Kmart plaza) : opened in 1968, stayed in the same location until 1994 before relocating to riverside and pierce ave in the spring of 1994. During the flood of 94, the new location flooded and eckerd actually re-opened the old location until they could repair the new store

Napier Square : opened in early 70's, stayed in this location until 1997 when it closed. It was the last of the original tenants in the center.

Northeast plaza: opened in 1972, stayed until earlier this year when it closed as a rite aid.

Westgate mall : opened in early seventies and closed in 1975.

Macon Mall : Opened in 1975. stayed until 1997 when a new location was built on the corner of Mercer University Dr and Burton Ave that combined this location and napier square. This location closed in 2001.

Forsyth Road : Opened in the 80's in Rivoli Crossing with Alterman Food Giant. Relocated farther down forsyth in the early 90's.

Fun Fact: The Houston Mall location in Warner Robins was originally a Walgreens with A "Wags" cafe until the late 1970's before turning to Eckerds.

Both CVS and Rite Aid have been closing a lot of the ex-Eckerd stores AFTER converting them. I hate that Rite Aid even closes these stores when their leases expire, but leaves older Rite Aids untouched. Worst of all, when an ex-Eckerd closes, they lie and say the store has "moved".

What is really sad is that outside the retail world, lots of people seem to have forgotten Eckerd. It's not like they were a small chain compared to the so-called "big 3". They closed a lot of stores over the years, but CVS has closed stores too, and of course Rite Aid. The major drugstores in different regions have fluctuated a lot. For example:

Pennsylvania had CVS, Rite Aid, and Thrift Drug. Eckerd was first founded in Erie, PA, but moved their headquarters to Florida. They would have no major stores in PA until the JCPenney/Thrift Drug/Fay's deal. They also bought a few independent pharmacies. Walgreens was not really big here until the late 90's. A few years ago they bought Happy Harry's. They do have some older drive-thru stores here though.

New Jersey had CVS, Rite Aid, and Thrift Drug, but some old "Eckerd Drugs" too.

Delaware has no CVS stores! Yet it did have some older "Eckerd Drugs" stores which coexisted with Thrift Drug. Rite Aid has long been big in DE. Walgreens has no actual stores in DE, but owns the local Happy Harry's chain. The Happy Harry's in Pennsylvania were converted to Walgreens or closed.

In New England, there was CVS, Rite Aid, Fay's, and probably Thrift Drug before Eckerd bought them. Walgreens has existed there since 1986, fairly early, when they bought the MediMart chain from Stop & Shop.

Texas has had Walgreens since about 1984. There never has been Rite Aid in Texas. CVS only entered the market in 2002. They bought the Eckerd stores in the South and West in 2004. Eckerd built some drive-thru stores in Houston in 1995. I am thinking they coexisted with Thrift Drug though, maybe for a short time. Does anyone know?

The West had Eckerd, where they were bought by CVS. Rite Aid only has former Thrifty/Payless stores, and they exited the Las Vegas market. I heard CVS exited the Southern California market in 1993, but I wonder when they entered. They did buy Sav-on from Albertsons.

Was in my hometown of Tampa over the holidays, and I can tell you that many people there definitely remember, and miss, Eckerd.

I dearly miss Eckerd, but I must admit they ruined Thrift Drug. Then JCPenney ruined Eckerd. Since the JCPenney ownership, why has NO ONE been willing to invest in Eckerd stores? Even after killing the brand?

All the major drugstore chains have/had some stores nicer than others.

Eckerd seems to have had a spotty past. Way back in the late '80s, a number of their southern WV and southeast VA stores were sold to SupeRx drugs, which for a time operated the stores with hard-to-read yellow-on-white signs encased within the capsule-shaped Eckerd signframe...

Indeed they do. I was in your hometown of Tampa over the holidays as well and saw this ad for a head shop in Creative Loafing: