WALGREENS

By November, Walgreens will have completed fine-tuning its management structure for maximum effectiveness in realizing its three-pronged strategy. That strategy includes improving the front-end experience through retail theater. It includes establishing the pharmacist as the go-to source for healthcare, not just for the patient but for the payer, too.

NEW YORK — A listing of the 500 most innovative users of information technology, as determined by industry magazine InformationWeek, includes the country's largest retail pharmacy chain and a major dollar-store chain.

On the recently released InformationWeek 500, Walgreens ranked 89th, and Dollar General ranked in 98th place.

CHICAGO — You can say the big winner was literally out of this world.

Unilever’s Axe Apollo Astronaut floorstand, designed by RockTenn Merchandising Displays, was named the Design of the Times 2013 Platinum Award Winner by Path to Purchase Institute judges, during a special awards ceremony Wednesday evening, here at the annual Shopper Marketing Expo. 

NEW YORK — American Express Serve announced a free nationwide cash load network and the addition of new money management capabilities to its full-service reloadable prepaid account. The new features enable Serve customers to load cash for free at more than 14,000 participating CVS/pharmacy and 7-Eleven stores. According to reports, the number of stores will grow by the end of 2013 to about 20,000, with the addition of Family Dollar, Office Depot, Walgreens and Duane Reade stores.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Monday announced Balance Financial, a full suite of integrated financial services that will be launching in phases over the coming months, all built around its new Balance Financial Prepaid MasterCard.

CHICAGO — Walgreens president and CEO Greg Wasson and Sona Chawla, Walgreens president e-commerce, on Wednesday made a keynote presentation on the closing day of the Shop.org Annual Summit 2013 here to talk about the opportunities associated with omnichannel retailing.  

NEW YORK — Walgreens' Beth Stiller, division VP category strategy and innovation, on Thursday discussed with Bloomberg Businessweek the shopping habits of today's post-recession consumer and how Walgreens is engaging that consumer where and when she wants.  

Walgreens reached a 19.1% prescription market share for its fiscal year ended Aug. 31. But that wasn't the story to come out of the Chicagoland retailer's conference call.