:London Drugs
{{short description|Canadian retail pharmacy chain}}
{{for|the music duo|LNDN DRGS}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox company
| name = London Drugs
| logo = London Drugs Logo.svg
| type = Subsidiary
| foundation = {{start date and age|1945}}
| location = Richmond, British Columbia
| industry = Retail
|founder = Sam Bass
|key_people = Brandt Louie, CEO and Chairman
| products = Electronics, grocery, pharmaceuticals, health & beauty, photofinishing, insurance services, furniture, toys, optical, housewares, and tech services including Apple Authorized Service Provider.
|area_served = Western Canada
| parent =
| owner = H.Y. Louie Co.
| homepage = {{URL|http://www.londondrugs.com}}
}}
File:London Drugs Store 77.jpg]]
File:London Drugs Store 77 - Cameras.jpg
London Drugs is a Canadian retail pharmacy chain based in Richmond, British Columbia. As of August 2024, the chain has 79 stores in Western Canada.{{cite web| url=https://www.londondrugs.com/store-locations/?context=storeLocator |title=London Drugs: Store Locator| publisher=www.londondrugs.com | access-date=September 16, 2019}} In addition to pharmacy services, London Drugs locations also sell electronics, housewares, cosmetics, and a limited selection of grocery items.
History
London Drugs was founded by Sam Bass in 1945 as a small drugstore at 800 Main Street in Vancouver, British Columbia.{{Cite web |title=Sam Bass |url=https://www.jewishindependent.ca/tag/sam-bass/ |access-date=2023-02-24 |language=en-CA|publisher=Jewish Independent}} Bass named his drugstore after the English city of London, the seat of the Canadian monarch.{{cite web |title=The Story of London Drugs |url=https://www.londondrugs.com/about-london-drugs/about-us.html#:~:text=The%20Story%20of%20London%20Drugs&text=The%20store%20was%20named%20after,promise%20of%20peace%20and%20prosperity. |website=London Drugs |publisher=London Drugs |access-date=November 8, 2020}}
In 1968, London Drugs was sold to Daylin, Inc. The next year, Daylin ran into financial difficulties in the US branch of its business, and decided to put London Drugs up for sale. In 1976, the business was acquired by the H.Y. Louie Group under the direction of President Tong Louie. Louie was son of Zhongshan born Vancouver grocer Hok Yat Louie (1875-1934).https://businesslaureatesbc.jabc.ca/laureate/hok-yat-louie/
Tong Louie expanded the company within BC and, for the first time, beyond the provincial border into Alberta with the first Edmonton location in 1976. In the next ten years, London Drugs tripled its number of stores.
During this growth, the company also began increasing the types of products available in stores. Small kitchen appliances, high end cosmetics and high quality photo equipment quickly became staple items lining the shelves.
In 1981, London Drugs expanded into another non-traditional drugstore category by installing its first One-Hour Photofinishing labs. The introduction of photofinishing labs into the store and the one-hour-photo revolution paved the way for London Drugs' introduction of a computer department in 1983.
In 2004, the St. Vital Shopping Centre in Winnipeg became the new home to London Drugs' first Manitoba store.
Today, London Drugs has stores in more than 35 major markets throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. According to their website, as of September 2019, they operate 82 stores. In addition to pharmacy, other major goods offered include cosmetics, small appliances, electronics, cameras and photo finishing, toys and food. London Drugs serves more than 45 million customers each year.
In January 2019, London Drugs acquired the Edmonton-based photography chain McBain Camera.{{Cite news|url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/edmontons-storied-mcbain-camera-snapped-up-by-london-drugs-will-continue-to-operate-independently|title=Edmonton's storied McBain Camera snapped up by London Drugs, will continue to operate independently|last=Cook|first=Dustin|date=January 12, 2019|work=Edmonton Journal|access-date=January 13, 2018|publisher=Postmedia Network}}
From April 28–May 7, 2024,{{Cite web |title=All London Drugs stores in Western Canada reopen following cyberattack |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/10479935/london-drugs-reopen-tuesday-cyberattack/ |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=Global News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=‘Cybersecurity incident’ leads to closure of London Drugs stores in western Canada |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/10456138/london-drugs-says-stores-in-western-canada-closed-until-further-notice/ |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=Global News |language=en-US}} all London Drugs stores were closed due to a ransomware attack on the company's head offices.{{Cite web |title=London Drugs hackers seek millions in ransom on claims of stolen employee data |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/10516121/london-drugs-ransom-attack-employee/ |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=Global News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2024-05-21 |title=Cybercriminals threaten to leak London Drugs data if it doesn't pay $25M ransom |url=https://bc.ctvnews.ca/cybercriminals-threaten-to-leak-london-drugs-data-if-it-doesn-t-pay-25m-ransom-1.6895793 |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=CTV News British Columbia |language=en}} Critical data infrastructure was rebuilt and audited. Urgent pharmacy care remained available during the closures.{{Cite web |title=London Drugs reopens phone lines and Canada Post outlets |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/london-drugs-cybersecurity-stores-closed-day-5-1.7191974 |access-date=2024-05-02 |website=CBC News}} On May 21, 2024, the cybercriminal gang LockBit claimed responsibility for the attack, and threatened to release data within 48 hours if a ransom of $25 million was not paid. London Drugs stated that they were "unwilling and unable to pay ransom" to the parties involved. No customer or primary employee data was compromised. On May 23, 2024, the company confirmed that data had been leaked by the hackers, and that affected employees were being offered identity theft protection services.{{Cite web |agency=The Canadian Press |title=Hackers release corporate data stolen from London Drugs, company says |url=https://chatnewstoday.ca/2024/05/23/hackers-release-corporate-data-stolen-from-london-drugs-company-says/ |access-date=2024-05-24 |website=CHAT News Today |language=en}}
Brands
London Drugs markets its own brand of products and services under the following labels:
class="wikitable" |
Name
! Type of Product |
---|
London Drugs
| Health Products, Furniture, Home ware, Food |
London Naturals
| Vitamins and Medicines |
London Home
| Furniture, Dinnerware |
Certified Data[http://www.cdata.ca/ Certified Data]
| Computers |
Tree Frog
| Computer Accessories |
London Premiere
| Cosmetic Products |
London Plantation
| Nuts |
LD Insurance[http://www.ldinsurance.ca/ LD Insurance]
| Insurance Services |
London Spa{{cite web|url=http://www.londondrugs.com/London-Spa/ldspa,default,pg.html|title=London Spa|website=londondrugs.com}}
| Spa Services |
CustomWorks[http://www.customworks.ca/ CustomWorks]
| Entertainment System Installation |
TLD Computers[http://www.tld.com/ TLD Computers]
|IT Equipment and Services |
Locations
Of the chain's 79 stores, 52 are located in British Columbia, 36 of which are located in the Lower Mainland. There are also 21 stores in Alberta, 5 in Saskatchewan, and 1 in Manitoba, with a second location set to open.https://www.londondrugs.com/all-store-locations/?context=storeLocator
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.londondrugs.com}}
{{Vancouver Corporations}}
Category:1945 establishments in British Columbia
Category:Consumer electronics retailers of Canada
Category:Canadian pharmacy brands
Category:Department stores of Canada
Category:Canadian companies established in 1945
Category:Retail companies established in 1945