VANCOUVER, British Columbia — London Drugs is nearing the completion of a redesign of two stores that could be precursors to the way the pharmacy chain’s stores will look going forward.

“We regularly look for new ideas and are constantly reviewing our stores,” president and chief executive officer Wynne Powell says.

Sometimes, he notes, new ideas are spurred by the direction that other retailers have taken. For instance, on a trip to New York City last spring he and three other London executives visited some of the first stores that Duane Reade had converted to its current look and came away impressed with their upscale decor and modern design.

“We saw some of the work that Duane Reade had done and we were very inspired by that,” Powell says.

So impressed was the London team that they decided to hire the same design firm that was behind some of the Duane Reade upgrades to help them develop a new look for their stores. That firm, Toronto-based Watt International, has collaborated with London to develop a new look at the company’s flagship stores in downtown Vancouver and in the Ironwood Plaza shopping center in Richmond, British Columbia, located near London’s headquarters.

While the two-story downtown Vancouver store is close to completion, with a new look being incorporated into its beauty department and its photo and electronics areas, the store in Richmond is done, Powell says.

Depending on consumer response, the new design could find its way into more London outlets in the near future.

“We’re making sure we stay ahead of the curve,” Powell says. “We’ll be doing exit surveys once we are up and running, and proceed from there.”