ABSTRACT
Drugstores have evolved from places in which medications were extemporaneously compounded, and proprietary (patent) medicines and health-related sundries could be purchased, to diverse retail pharmacies. The diversity runs from the physically small (under 2000 square feet) “professionally” oriented shops to the 50,000 square feet-super drugstores. The original “corner drugstore,” which because of its long hours and accessibility began to stock and sell many nondrug convenience items, has become a major force in the general retail marketplace while still maintaining a connection to its health-related role.
