Discount Drug Mart celebrates 40-year anniversary

Drug Store News, March 2, 2009

MEDINA, Ohio -- Discount Drug Mart will be celebrating its 40-year anniversary this year, the chain noted last month. "Started by a pharmacist who had a vision to share his knowledge of the industry, his compassion for people and to create a community-like business, Parviz Boodjeh opened his first Discount Drug Mart store in 1969 in Elyria, Ohio," the company stated.

And it's still a family-owned-and-operated business--Parviz's sons Don Boodjeh and Doug Boodjeh serve as CEO and COO, respectively. "[Parviz Boodjeh] is still active in the company, too," Doug Boodjeh, who's had a hand helping out at the chain since age 7, told Drug Store News.

Attributing the success of Discount Drug Mart to hard work and determination, the Boodjeh family has led the business to be ranked No. 16 in pharmacy sales among pure-play drug store chains nationwide last year, according to Drug Store News' annual ranking of pharmacy chains.

Throughout 2009, Discount Drug Mart will be offering customers weekly "40-year anniversary" specials. "It's our way of saying thanks to all the customers for their loyalty and support over the last four decades," Doug Boodjeh said. "If it weren't for their continued patronage, we wouldn't be where we are today."

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Discount Drug Mart currently has 68 stores in more than 20 counties across Ohio, including Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati, and generated sales of some $630 million last year. The 25,000-sq.-ft. stores stock more than 40,000 items, ranging from a full-service pharmacy to an extended home healthcare department--Discount Drug Mart remains one of the only drug store chains to receive accreditation for the sale of durable medical equipment under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services guidelines. The chain recently introduced a generic prescription program offering customers hundreds of generic drugs for $3.99 for a 30-day supply and $9.99 for a 90-day supply.

Discount Drug Mart also participates in many charitable, community and education related fundraising activities, including cookouts at many of its stores throughout the summer, donating all proceeds to local community charities. Other fundraisers include the Muscular Dystrophy Association, American Diabetes Association and the Northeast Ohio Coats for Kids campaign.

Looking ahead, Discount Drug Mart will continue to expand its store base, current economy not withstanding. "We're still planning on opening new stores, it's just got to be the perfect site nowadays," Boodjeh said. "We are [currently] remodeling about 20% of our store base] per year."