Wellby Super Drug

Last updated
Wellby Super Drug
Industry Retail
Founded1973
Defunct1992
FateSold to Rite Aid
Headquarters Scarborough, Maine
ProductsBeauty products, drugs, snacks, beer, photo shop, movies, food and housewares.
WebsiteNone

Wellby Super Drug was a chain of 41 drug stores that operated in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont from 1973 until 1992. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Hannaford Brothers, northern New England's largest grocer.

Contents

Wellby stores were typically located next to Hannaford's Shop 'n Save stores. [1]

History

In 1973, Hannaford decided to expand into the retail drugstore market by opening three Wellby Super Drug stores in Maine. From the beginning, these stores were owned directly by the company. By 1987, there were 36 Wellby locations. [2]

In 1990, Maine voted to repeal its blue law that forced stores over 5,000 square feet to close on Sundays. This meant Shop 'n Save stores could be open on Sunday and incorporate a pharmacy of its own, ultimately making standalone Wellby stores redundant to the company. [1]

By 1992, Wellby made up less than five percent of Hannaford's total sales. In order to focus on its core grocery business, the company decided to sell 34 out of 41 of its free-standing Wellby Super Drug stores to Rite Aid. [2] [3] [4] Hannaford instead concentrated on adding pharmacy services into its existing supermarkets. [5]

In 2023, Rite Aid filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. [6] Despite Wellby shutting down 34 years prior to Rite Aid's bankruptcy filing, Wellby was still listed in the filing. [7]

On May 5, 2025, Rite Aid filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in 2 years, listing assets and liabilities between $1 billion and $10 billion. Rite Aid will sell all of its assets as part of its procedure, as it overcomes financial challenges such as debt, increased competition, and inflation, including Wellby Super Drug. [8]

References

  1. 1 2 Parsons, Jeff (2018-01-11). "Whatever Happened to Wellby Super Drugs Stores in Maine?". Q97.9. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
  2. 1 2 International directory of company histories. Vol. 12. Detroit, Michigan: St. James Press. 1996. pp. 220–221. ISBN   978-1-55862-653-9 – via Internet Archive.
  3. ↑ "Skowhegan's Bargain Hunter fills shopping needs, long-vacant storefront". Portland Press Herald. February 9, 2014. Retrieved 2019-10-26.
  4. ↑ "Hannaford cutting management jobs after recent sale of drug store chain". Bangor Daily News. July 11, 1992. Archived from the original on October 26, 2019. Retrieved 2019-10-26.
  5. ↑ "Our Story". www.hannaford.com. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
  6. ↑ "Rite Aid files for bankruptcy". CNN. October 15, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Wellby Super Drug Files For Bankruptcy". BKData. October 15, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.[ permanent dead link ]
  8. ↑ Knauth, Dietrich (May 5, 2025). "Rite Aid files for second bankruptcy in two years". Reuters. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
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