165:, simply called "Discount Center". He quickly gained a reputation for his always-cheerful disposition, and customers soon simply referred to his store as "Happy's". In 1965, upon opening his third store, the name of the chain was changed to "Happy Harry's Discount Drugs". Just before the company's 25th anniversary in 1987, "Happy Harry" died, and his son, Alan Levin, took over the growing company. At the time, Happy Harry's was the largest drugstore chain in Delaware and soon grew to 76 stores.
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These stores went through significant interior and exterior modifications to conform to
Walgreens standards for product display, store arrangement, and pharmacy design. Task forces from various Walgreens districts around the country were mobilized to convert the various store systems to Walgreens equivalents. The most important conversion was for the pharmacy, whose computer system was changed to Walgreens homegrown
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locations with drive-thru pharmacies and occasionally by quiet acquisitions of small pharmacies, rather than expanding through mergers and public acquisitions. However, with little presence in Happy Harry's primary market, the addition of Happy Harry's was a valuable new resource for
Walgreens to leverage in its continuing expansion.
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Initially, Walgreens decided to keep Happy Harry's name on its existing stores. However, the eight stores in
Pennsylvania were revamped as standard stores due to Walgreens' stronger branding there. Happy Harry's remained open in Delaware but was modified to read "Happy Harry's, a Walgreens Pharmacy."
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On June 5, 2006, Happy Harry's announced that it would be acquired by
Walgreens. The announcement of the acquisition was surprising for Walgreens, whose approach differs most notably from its competitors when it comes to growth. Walgreens expansion is fueled primarily by opening new, freestanding
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pharmacy computer software, along with the installation of satellite equipment, which linked each pharmacy with over 7,000 other
Walgreens pharmacies in the continental United States,
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In April 2011, the last Happy Harry's pharmacies in the
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Happy Harry's on Market Street in
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On June 5, 2006, it was revealed that the chain had agreed to be acquired by
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In 1962, Harry Levin (1928-1987) opened his first store in
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starting in 2006. Happy Harry's operated 76 locations in
150:. Harry Levin, and entrepreneur, started it in 1962.
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105:Alan Levin (president and CEO prior to closure)
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675:American companies disestablished in 2006
236:"Walgreens to Acquire Specialty Pharmacy"
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660:Health care companies based in Delaware
645:Retail companies disestablished in 2006
630:Companies based in Wilmington, Delaware
620:Defunct pharmacies of the United States
75:Acquisition and conversion to Walgreens
635:American companies established in 1962
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640:Retail companies established in 1962
625:Defunct companies based in Delaware
234:Crowther, Katie (October 5, 2005).
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655:2006 disestablishments in Delaware
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599:Walgreen Drug Store Historic Site
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295:Happy Harry's website (archived)
650:1962 establishments in Delaware
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665:2006 mergers and acquisitions
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497:Charles Rudolph Walgreen Jr.
20:Happy Harry's Discount Drugs
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512:Jesse Boot, 1st Baron Trent
212:. Happy.com. Archived from
130:chain that was merged into
40:Discount Center (1962–1965)
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517:John Boot, 2nd Baron Trent
279:September 2, 2006, at the
256:. Alacra Store. 2003-09-15
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350:Walgreens Boots Alliance
242:. Arlington Heights, IL.
436:Dollond & Aitchison
169:Acquisition and closure
16:Defunct drugstore chain
300:Happy Harry's website
274:Walgreens press facts
163:Wilmington, Delaware
50:Wilmington, Delaware
389:Farmacias Benavides
364:Alliance Healthcare
91:Number of locations
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584:Schoep's Ice Cream
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357:Subsidiaries
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258:. Retrieved
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240:Daily Herald
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218:. Retrieved
214:the original
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140:Pennsylvania
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537:Randy Lewis
507:Jim Skinner
384:Duane Reade
188:Puerto Rico
59:Harry Levin
614:Categories
260:2011-08-20
220:2011-08-20
197:References
148:New Jersey
101:Key people
67:April 2011
589:Strepsils
574:Ibuprofen
522:John Boot
456:Kerr Drug
441:Drug Fair
405:Walgreens
132:Walgreens
128:drugstore
116:Walgreens
84:Walgreens
80:Successor
461:USA Drug
304:archived
277:Archived
144:Maryland
136:Delaware
48:1962 in
37:Formerly
562:Related
157:History
64:Defunct
56:Founder
45:Founded
470:People
186:, and
184:Hawaii
146:, and
111:Parent
594:Wag's
400:No. 7
396:(50%)
369:Boots
546:Sir
72:Fate
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
