May 1: Pharmacy Fun Fact

Question: Where did Charles R. Walgreen Sr used to work before he got his start in the pharmacy field?

Answer: A shoe factory! Charles R. Walgreen Sr used to work at a shoe factory where he lost part of his finger in a mishap. Later, he became a pharmacist apprentice, before becoming a pharmacist. Walgreen used to work for a Chicago pharmacist, who in due course retired, and gave him the chance to buy out the store in 1901. He bought a second drug store in 1909, incorporated 9 Walgreen stores by 1919, and launched the 100th store in Chicago in 1926. After him, his son, Charles Walgreen Jr, continued building the chain to 6000 stores.

REFERENCE

46 Interesting Pharmacy Technician Facts. Pharmacy Technician Guide. https://www.pharmacytechnicianguide.com/Interesting-Facts.html. Published 2020. Accessed May 1, 2020.

Stay tuned each week for our Friday Pharmacy Fun Facts! Impress your friends and colleagues with useful facts about the history of pharmacy, inventions created by pharmacists, and more. If you have a fun fact to contribute, email AAntrim@pharmacytimes.com, and it may be included!