Vancouver has been long considered one of the most industrial cities in Canada. Its infrastructure has always been well-developed and diverse.
In addition, this amazing city has always attracted the attention of investors willing to open their own businesses there. There is no surprise because Vancouver’s excellent economic conditions, convenient tax system and assistance for novice businessmen are perfect for entrepreneurship.
Thus, Vancouver is one of the best cities for building a business career.
The pharmacy business has always been very profitable. After all, people always get sick, which means that there is always a demand for pharmacy products. In addition to medicines, pharmacies offer other products aimed at improving human health.
Vancouver pharmacies are very diverse. Many of them have been on the market for many years and have an interesting history. They have been passed down from generation to generation as family businesses and preserved recipes and pharmaceutical secrets.
However, when talking about Vancouver pharmacies, we should mention those, which haven’t survived to this day but have left a bright mark on the history of the pharmaceutical business.
One of them is Cunningham Drug.
Learn more about it at ivancouver. (Source: chuckdavis.ca)
Interesting fact
Besides the sale of pharmacy products, the store offered other goods too, such as tobacco and groceries. However, Cunningham Drug positioned itself as a pharmacy. In this article, we will tell you more about this old Vancouver pharmacy.
Cunningham Drug was a Vancouver pharmacy chain that was founded in 1911. Its main region of activity was British Columbia.
Emergence
Cunningham Drug appeared in the winter of 1911. It was founded by George Cunningham, a pharmacist who had previously worked at the Woodward’s department store.
He opened his first pharmacy in Vancouver and managed to expand his network in 1939. Then he bought the Vancouver Drug Stores chain, tripling the size of the Cunningham network.
Thus, the number of pharmacies increased from 12 to 35.
Expansion
Later, the pharmacy chain expanded to 100 stores. It was the peak of Cunningham’s popularity.
In addition, the businessman’s authority began to grow rapidly too.
So, from 1955 to 1957, Cunningham was Vancouver city councillor and later headed the University Board of Governors.
Beginning of the end
George Cunningham passed away on March 7, 1965. He was 76 years old at the time of his death. On September 26, 1971, his pharmacy chain was acquired by Shoppers Drug Mart, which was expanding very actively at that time.
Still, the popularity of Cunningham Drug began to decline significantly and the chain became much less successful.
Of course, it had a negative effect on the number of customers.
In addition, it was renamed, as it became part of Shoppers Drug Mart.
It also led to the network finally ending its existence under the previously popular name.
Photo source: shorpy.com