Success often is one of the biggest blind spots a company can have, because you’re so busy doing well you don’t have the time to assess what it is you’re doing. That is one of the core reasons for being for the Mack Elevation Forum, “a share group on steroids,” described program founder Dan Mack, EVP strategic business development for the Swanson Group. The forum hosted its most recent meeting Friday morning at the Hilton Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Ariz., during the 2011 NACDS Annual Meeting.

At the Cabanas at the 2011 NACDS Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The L'Oréal Party, Upsher-Smith Party and the Time Warner Retail/Colgate-Palmolive Party were among the nighttime events Saturday and Sunday night at the 2011 NACDS Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz.

More than 250 executives who participated in Anda’s 4th Annual Supply Chain Symposium here Thursday and Friday were treated to a keynote address from Linda Tarplin, a leading healthcare consultant and former senior White House and Department of Health and Human Services staff member.

The third annual RxImpact Day, which is part of NACDS’ overall RxImpact grassroots initiative, was held March 9 and 10, and attracted more than 350 pharmacy advocates — many clad in white pharmacy coats — from nearly 40 states.

Winn-Dixie’s chairman, president and CEO, Peter Lynch, calls them “state of the art.” The company’s VP pharmacy, John Fegan, calls them “transformational.” They’re talking about the Jacksonville, Fla.-based supermarket chain’s glitzy new prototype store, an upscale and eye-popping showcase for everything from locally sourced foods to gluten-free and specialized dietary offerings.

Nestled within Bed Bath & Beyond’s Upper East Side location in New York City is the first-ever L’Oréal Paris “boutique.” The boutique carves out an oasis for beauty — a somewhat logical extension from the “bath” in “Bed Bath & Beyond.” The boutique features L’Oréal Paris skin care, hair care, cosmetics and hair color products.

Walgreens’ Customer Centric Retailing effort is aimed at aligning the chain’s mix with what its customers really want from the stores; eliminating hundreds of redundant, slow-turning SKUs; and boosting front-end productivity. Among emerging areas of opportunity in CCR stores are enhanced beer and wine selections, expanded fresh food assortments, a beauty aisle makeover and more private-brand items. More than 2,100 Walgreens stores already have been transformed to CCR stores, including this store in Atlanta.

Those who visit the newly opened Lewis Drug store on Louise Avenue in Sioux Falls, S.D., undoubtedly will see the “new face” of the company, according to president and CEO Mark Griffin. This new store includes a “Four Seasons" department, a 4,000-sq.-ft. environmentally controlled room that can be used for various purposes throughout the year. For example, in the winter months, it can be used to display live Christmas trees that will be kept at 45 degrees, and in the spring, it can be used as a garden shop.

Carol Kelly, SVP government affairs and public policy for NACDS, spoke with Drug Store News on Dec. 20 about what the state Medicaid budget crisis means for pharmacies in Washington, what NACDS is doing to resolve the issue and how the state could address its healthcare costs more effectively.

In response to a national survey, which found that many women often are disappointed with their purchase of household products and desire more product innovation, Procter & Gamble has developed the multipronged “Have You Tried This Yet?” campaign as a way to highlight the manufacturer’s newer, more unique products. As part of the campaign, P&G opened to the public on Oct. 22 an interactive pop-up store in New York to drive awareness and product trials.