VANCOUVER, B.C. – London Drugs will host the grand opening of its new location at Vancouver House at Pacific and Howe on Friday, February 7th, marking the first retail store opening in the ‘Beach District’; the emerging waterfront neighborhood located at the base of the Granville Street Bridge.

Clint Mahlman

The 12,108 square foot London Drugs was designed to support the immediate needs of the neighborhood. It features a robust pharmacy department, parcel pick up and a curated assortment of health, beauty, tech, and convenience products.

“Our goal is to offer the products and services that our new neighbors need, want, and care about, closer to where they live and work,” says Clint Mahlman, president and chief operating officer, London Drugs. “This new location supports our ambition to take care of people and make their lives less complicated, and we also continue our unwavering commitment to make a difference in the communities we serve.”

To mark its entrance into the quickly transforming neighborhood and reaffirm the company’s commitment to investing in communities, London Drugs will be making a $15,000 donation to Covenant House.

London Drugs, along with Fresh St. Market which opens the same day, will help form the active retail core of the new district located on the north side of False Creek. Building on the success of Granville Island, the Beach District aims to extend this concept across the water, to the other side of the Granville Street Bridge. Home to more than 2000 people by next year, the area features walkable pedestrian oriented streets and bike lanes with a connection to the Seawall and public spaces that are programmed to be activated year-round by outdoor markets, events, festivals and celebrations.

Opening day celebrations begin at 8:40 am on February 7. Speeches from city councillors and London Drugs along with a ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place before the store opens, and the grand opening celebrations will continue throughout the weekend. Many vendor partners will be on site offering samplings and demonstrations including two Carlton Cards’ artists on-site from 10am – 3pm on Saturday February 8th creating customizable, personalized cards for customers.

Since London Drugs opened its first store in Vancouver 75 years ago, the company has continued to evolve the customer shopping experience with a heightened focus on understanding the particular needs of the neighborhoods they serve. The new Vancouver House London Drugs location at Pacific and Howe will feature:

• Whole-You Health Care: Pharmacy is still the heart of London Drugs. In addition to helping customers find solutions to everyday health concerns around allergy, cough & cold, pain management, stomach health and eye care, London Drugs pharmacists provide flu vaccinations, diabetes management programs, travel vaccinations and medical advice, chronic disease management, screening and prevention clinic, medication reviews and much more.

• Trends, Treasures and Coveted Brands: London Drugs continues its long history of providing innovative products and services that enhance individuals’ lives, family, and community. With thousands of items in store, there is something for everyone at the new location – from the most coveted brands to items that can’t be found anywhere else.

• Simplified Online Ordering and Pickup: The newly designed tech department will serve as hub for customer convenience with simplified online order collection, computer technology support and Canada Post parcel pickup service all in the same area. Pharmacy patients can use London Drugs Online Prescription Refills to quickly send prescription refill requests directly to the pharmacy for convenient pickup when ready.

• Same-Day Delivery: Without any membership fee, customers can take advantage of London Drugs’ same day delivery service and have their items delivered right to their door. By placing their orders before 1 pm, customers can receive their delivery the same day, Monday to Friday, often within a few hours of when the order is placed – particularly for those who live in the adjacent buildings. In-store returns are simple with no refund delays or postage required.

• Comprehensive Recycling: The in-store recycling centre provides customers with a simple and easy way to recycle items that cannot go into the blue boxes or should be kept out of landfills including: plastics, batteries, electronics and Styrofoam. Every kilo is tracked for where it goes.

• LDExtras Rewards: LDExtras members can unlock personalized rewards, offers and experiences every time they spend $10 or more (before taxes) on eligible products each day.