Rite Aid Celebrates

Rite Aid Corporation(RAD)is celebrating its 45th anniversary this week.To mark the occasion,the pharmacy chain is having a big sale.Rite Aid is even giving three name brand products away,through its Single Check Rebate program.Halloween candy is on sale,along with raisins and chicken noodle soup.There is also a rebate on Dunkin' Donuts coffee.Besides the relationship with Dunkin' Donuts,Rite Aid has ties to GNC(General Nutrition Center).Many Rite Aid stores have a GNC Location within them.Seniors are prime pharmacy customers,and Rite Aid caters to them with its Living More program.Registration in the program entitles seniors to 10% discounts on health-related items.A Rite Aid I recently visited is a free-standing store.It has a pharmacy drive-up window and plenty of parking.In spite of all the merchandise,the interior isn't junky.The store is bright,neat and well-organized.Health care is unmistakably what it's about.Rite Aid continues to absorb the Eckerd and Brooks stores it recently acquired.The branding process will be complete within sixteen months,resulting in a chain of 5,000 stores in 31 states.Mary Sammons is CEO of the expanding business.