Cunningham Drug (U.S.)
{{Short description|Drug company}}
{{For|the unrelated Canadian chain|Cunningham Drug (Canada)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Cunningham Drug
| logo = Cunningham's Drug Logo.png
| logo_size = 200px
| caption =
| fate = Acquired
| successor = Various
| foundation = October 1889
| defunct = 1982
| location = Detroit, Michigan, USA
| industry = Retail
| key_people = Andrew Cunningham – founder
| products = Retail, Pharmacy
| num_employees =
}}
Cunningham Drug was a drugstore chain based in Detroit, Michigan. Founded in October 1889 by Andrew Cunningham, the chain operated primarily within the state of Michigan, and was once the largest drugstore chain in the state. Its Michigan locations were closed and reopened in 1982 as Apex Drug, and were later sold to Perry Drug Stores. The last stores remained open in Florida until 1991, when they were sold to Walgreens.
History
File:Formerperry.jpg) in Oscoda, Michigan. Since this picture was taken, the building has been re-tenanted by Goodwill Industries.]]
Andrew Cunningham opened the first Cunningham drug store in Detroit in October 1889.{{Cite web|url=http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-3808158/Businesses-gone-but-not-forgotten.html |title=Businesses gone but not forgotten: A local legacy of risk-taking |date=27 June 2001 |work=Crain's Detroit Business |accessdate=12 July 2010}} In 1931, the 50-store Economical Drug chain, also based in Detroit, consolidated with Cunningham, which at the time had thirteen stores.{{Cite news |title=Drug merger approved |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=22 October 1931 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/access/108633471.html?dids=108633471:108633471&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Oct+22%2C+1931&author=&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&desc=DRUG+MERGER+APPROVED&pqatl=google |accessdate=12 July 2010 |archive-date=2 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102221928/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/access/108633471.html?dids=108633471:108633471&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Oct+22,+1931&author=&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&desc=DRUG+MERGER+APPROVED&pqatl=google |url-status=dead }} Economical Drug owner Nate Shapero also assumed control of the Cunningham chain. Cunningham announced a merger with Marshall Drug Co. of Cleveland, Ohio in 1940.{{Cite news |title=Cunningham Drug may get Marshall chain of 42 stores |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=11 October 1940 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/access/107838220.html?dids=107838220:107838220&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Oct+11%2C+1940&author=&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&desc=Cunningham+Drug+May+Get+Marshall+Chain+of+42+Stores&pqatl=google |accessdate=12 July 2010 |archive-date=2 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102225119/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/access/107838220.html?dids=107838220:107838220&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Oct+11,+1940&author=&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&desc=Cunningham+Drug+May+Get+Marshall+Chain+of+42+Stores&pqatl=google |url-status=dead }}{{Cite news |title=Control of Marshall Drug by Cunningham firm likely |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=6 December 1940 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/access/74577705.html?dids=74577705:74577705&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Dec+06%2C+1940&author=&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&desc=Control+of+Marshall+Drug+By+Cunningham+Firm+Likely&pqatl=google |accessdate=12 July 2010 |archive-date=2 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102225326/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/access/74577705.html?dids=74577705:74577705&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Dec+06,+1940&author=&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&desc=Control+of+Marshall+Drug+By+Cunningham+Firm+Likely&pqatl=google |url-status=dead }}
Between 1958 and 1959, the chain announced mergers with two other chains: Broward Drug of Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Kinsel Drug Co., also of Detroit.{{Cite news |title=Cunningham Drug Stores |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=31 March 1958 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/access/70688604.html?dids=70688604:70688604&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Mar+31%2C+1958&author=&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&desc=Cunningham+Drug+Stores&pqatl=google |accessdate=12 July 2010 |archive-date=2 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102225342/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/access/70688604.html?dids=70688604:70688604&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Mar+31,+1958&author=&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&desc=Cunningham+Drug+Stores&pqatl=google |url-status=dead }}{{Cite news |title=Cunningham Drug-Kinsel Merger |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=18 November 1958 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/access/122451072.html?dids=122451072:122451072&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+18%2C+1958&author=&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&desc=Cunningham+Drug-Kinsel+Merger&pqatl=google |accessdate=12 July 2010 |archive-date=2 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102225353/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/access/122451072.html?dids=122451072:122451072&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+18,+1958&author=&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&desc=Cunningham+Drug-Kinsel+Merger&pqatl=google |url-status=dead }} Following the merger, Cunningham became the largest drugstore chain in Michigan, and had locations in several other states. An effort was made by the United States Department of Justice to dissolve the Kinsel merger, citing that it was in violation of the Clayton Antitrust Act.{{Cite news |title=Cunningham Drug denies Kinsel purchase violated antitrust act |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=14 September 1960 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/access/75904736.html?dids=75904736:75904736&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Sep+14%2C+1960&author=&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&desc=Cunningham+Drug+Denies+Kinsel+Purchase+Violated+Antitrust+Act&pqatl=google |accessdate=12 July 2010 |archive-date=2 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102225410/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/access/75904736.html?dids=75904736:75904736&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Sep+14,+1960&author=&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&desc=Cunningham+Drug+Denies+Kinsel+Purchase+Violated+Antitrust+Act&pqatl=google |url-status=dead }} The dissolution was canceled in 1963.{{Cite news |title=Justice Agency ends bid to kill Cunningham's purchase of Kinsel Drug |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=12 April 1963 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/access/75842075.html?dids=75842075:75842075&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Apr+12%2C+1963&author=&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&desc=Justice+Agency+Ends+Bid+To+Kill+Cunningham%27s+Purchase+of+Kinsel+Drug&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120712173014/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/access/75842075.html?dids=75842075:75842075&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Apr+12,+1963&author=&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&desc=Justice+Agency+Ends+Bid+To+Kill+Cunningham's+Purchase+of+Kinsel+Drug&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 July 2012 |accessdate=12 July 2010 }}
An acquisition of Whelan Drug in Florida added fourteen more Cunningham locations to that state in 1964.{{Cite news |title=Cunningham takes over: Whelan Drugs sells out |newspaper=The Miami News |date=2 November 1964 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=y5MzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=N-kFAAAAIBAJ&pg=506,754517&dq=cunningham-drug+detroit&hl=en |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120712053621/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=y5MzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=N-kFAAAAIBAJ&pg=506,754517&dq=cunningham-drug+detroit&hl=en |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 July 2012 |accessdate=12 July 2010 }} The chain later sold 28 Florida stores to Gray Drug of Ohio.{{Cite news |title=Cunningham Drug Stores agrees to sell 28 units in Florida to Gray Drug |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=31 March 1971 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/access/107763128.html?dids=107763128:107763128&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Mar+31%2C+1971&author=&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&desc=Cunningham+Drug+Stores+Agrees+to+Sell+28+Units+In+Florida+to+Gray+Drug&pqatl=google |accessdate=12 July 2010 |archive-date=2 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102225506/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/access/107763128.html?dids=107763128:107763128&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Mar+31,+1971&author=&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&desc=Cunningham+Drug+Stores+Agrees+to+Sell+28+Units+In+Florida+to+Gray+Drug&pqatl=google |url-status=dead }}{{Cite news |title=Cunningham Drug completes sale |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=3 May 1971 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/access/71625693.html?dids=71625693:71625693&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=May+03%2C+1971&author=&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&desc=Cunningham+Drug+Completes+Sale&pqatl=google |accessdate=12 July 2010 |archive-date=2 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102231147/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/access/71625693.html?dids=71625693:71625693&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=May+03,+1971&author=&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&desc=Cunningham+Drug+Completes+Sale&pqatl=google |url-status=dead }}
Cunningham's also had some small drug stores branded as Schettler's in major hotels, such as the Sheraton-Cadillac in Detroit, and at high-end retail, such as at Somerset Mall in Troy, Michigan.{{Cite web|title=1984 Press Photo Somerset Mall Schettler's Drugs lunch|url=https://outlet.historicimages.com/products/dfpz00011|access-date=2020-06-30|website=Historic Images|language=en}} In the 1960s, a small number of Cunningham's were re-branded as Dot Discount, an experiment which did not expand further, but which lasted a couple decades, some years after all Cunningham's had closed in the Detroit area.
The chain sold off twenty-eight of its Michigan stores in 1982 to a private company, which re-branded them as Apex Drug.{{Cite news|title=Devine a link to industry's halcyon days |first=David |last=Pinto |work=Chain Drug Review |date=18 August 2008 |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3007/is_14_30/ai_n28567568/ |accessdate=12 July 2010}} Three years later, most of the Apex locations were sold to Perry Drug Stores, another chain based in the Detroit metropolitan area.{{Cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3374/is_n16_v12/ai_8863438 |title=Devine, new Affil./Assoc. prez, gears up for the '90s |accessdate=12 July 2010 |date=10 September 1990 |work=Drug Store News}}
The remaining Cunningham stores were gradually sold off or shuttered; by late 1991, the last five in operation, all in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area, were sold to Walgreens.{{Cite news |title=Pharmacy chain buys A1A store: Cunningham's Drug sold to Walgreen Co. |first=David |last=Altaner |newspaper=Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel |date=4 December 1991 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sun_sentinel/access/88062871.html?dids=88062871:88062871&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+04%2C+1991&author=DAVID+ALTANER%2C+Business+Writer&pub=South+Florida+Sun+-+Sentinel&desc=PHARMACY+CHAIN+BUYS+A1A+STORE+CUNNINGHAM%27S+DRUG+SOLD+TO+WALGREEN+CO.&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714170014/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sun_sentinel/access/88062871.html?dids=88062871:88062871&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+04,+1991&author=DAVID+ALTANER,+Business+Writer&pub=South+Florida+Sun+-+Sentinel&desc=PHARMACY+CHAIN+BUYS+A1A+STORE+CUNNINGHAM'S+DRUG+SOLD+TO+WALGREEN+CO.&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 July 2012 |accessdate=12 July 2010 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Rite Aid}}
{{Walgreens Boots Alliance}}
Category:Retail companies disestablished in 1982
Category:Retail companies established in 1889
Category:Defunct pharmacies of the United States
Category:Defunct companies based in Detroit
Category:1889 establishments in Michigan
Category:Health care companies based in Michigan