Hartig Drug Stores is a chain of
pharmacy/
retail store
Retail is the sale of goods and services to consumers, in contrast to wholesaling, which is sale to business or institutional customers. A retailer purchases goods in large quantities from manufacturers, directly or through a wholesaler, and t ...
s based out of
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque (, ) is the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. At the time of the 2020 census, the population of Dubuque was 59,667. The city lies at the junction of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, a r ...
. The company provides
pharmacy services not only to the general public, but to area institutions as well. Along with this pharmacy focus, Hartig Drug stores offer convenience retail items. The company has operated for over 100 years; currently, it is the second-oldest family-run pharmacy chain in the United States.
[Hartig Drug celebrates 100 years , Drug Store News , Find Articles at BNET]
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History
Hartig Drug was founded in 1904 by A.J Hartig, upon graduation from pharmacy school at Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world.
Charte ...
. Originally created in the likeness of the many drug stores
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of medicines. It is a miscellaneous science as it links healt ...
prevalent in the Midwest at the time, it has since grown into regional chain of mixed retail stores and pharmacies.
The drug chain has a long history of progressive retail practices. In 1941, Hartig Drug opened the first Self-service
Self-service is the practice of serving oneself, usually when making purchases. Aside from Automated Teller Machines, which are not limited to banks, and customer-operated supermarket check-out, labor-saving of which has been described as self- ...
drug store in Iowa, drawing more than 10,000 customers in its first two days of operation. It was also one of the first stores to hire women as pharmacists and store managers.
USA Drug affiliation
In 1999, Hartig Drug entered into a partnership with national retailer USA Drug as a supplier of generic-brand items. At the same time, some Hartig Drug stores were renamed "Hartig USA Drug" in recognition of the cooperative association. Although this association continues, Hartig Drug is not a franchise of USA Drug.
Current ownership
Hartig Drug has been owned by the same family since its creation in 1904. The current owner and chairman of the board is Richard J. Hartig. In 2001, Hartig hired Keith Bibelhausen as the first non-family president of the drug chain. In 2007, the store reported an employment of around 400 persons.Hartig Drug - Company Overview - Hoover's
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Location
Hartig Drug stores can be found in 21 different locations throughout eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois, and southwest Wisconsin.
Hartig Drug stores are generally characterized by a mix between retail store and pharmacy, similar to national chains like Walgreens
Walgreen Company, d/b/a Walgreens, is an American company that operates the second-largest pharmacy store chain in the United States behind CVS Health. It specializes in filling prescriptions, health and wellness products, health information, a ...
. Stores offer items including Hallmark cards, gifts, sports themed merchandise, snack foods, beverages, photographic printing, beauty supplies and non-prescription medications (along with prescription drugs at the pharmacy counter).
National associations
Hartig Drug is a member of the National Community Pharmacists Association.
References
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External links
Hartig Drug
Economy of Dubuque, Iowa
Health care companies based in Iowa
Economy of the Midwestern United States
Pharmacies of the United States