Rose remembered for understanding customers

SYRACUSE, N.Y. —Longtime industry veteran Larry Rose—a man who enjoyed gardening, golfing, the Pittsburgh Steelers and drug store retailing—died Nov. 18 at University Hospital after battling cancer. He was 66.

Rose, who earned his pharmacy degree from Temple University, spent more than 20 years with Thrift Drug, working his way up to become executive vice president of marketing. In 1987, he joined Fay’s Drug to serve as president and chief operating officer. During his three years with Fay’s, Rose instituted reforms in marketing and operations that helped position the company for growth.

After Fay’s, Rose spent eight years at Kinney Drugs as vice president of marketing. While at Kinney, Rose helped implement the retailer’s private-label program and created the retailer’s tag line “Convenience, just around the corner.” He also contributed many creative ideas to the company’s merchandising program. He retired from Kinney in 2001.

Craig Painter, chairman and chief executive officer of Kinney, said that Rose not only loved merchandising, but he also loved sharing stories.

“Anyone who knew him knew he had an assortment of stories,” Painter said. “He had a story for every occasion.”

In the workplace, Rose was known for being able to understand the drug store customer. “He had a knack for being able to understand what role the drug store had in satisfying the pharmacy patients, as well as the front-end customer. He had a nice ability to bridge that, and I think part of that came from his background in pharmacy and his love for merchandising,” Painter said. “On behalf of the folks at Kinney, we are thankful for the time he spent with us and the development of the front end of our stores.”

Kerr Drug president and chief executive officer Tony Civello, who first worked with Rose at Thrift Drug, said he is “deeply saddened by the passing” of Rose, a man who was not only an industry associate but a longtime friend.

“Larry Rose was the best merchant I ever met,” Civello said. “He taught me and many other people in his orbit the value of merchandising innovation and singular focus on the customer’s shopping experience. He will be missed.”

Rose is survived by his wife of 44 years, Elaine; his mother, Marion Rose; his siblings, Anthony J. Rose and Evelyn Rose Amoruso; his two children, Maria Rose Wehrle and Anthony M. Rose; and his seven grandchildren.