Mayor Gray Joins Walgreens to Unveil New Health and Daily Living Store Today in Washington, D.C.

DEERFIELD, Ill., December 23, 2011 - Mayor Vincent C. Gray today will join Walgreens (NYSE: WAG) (NASDAQ: WAG) executives when the national drugstore chain unveils its new health and daily living store to residents of Washington, D.C. during a ribbon cutting celebration starting at 11 a.m.

The store, located at the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and Veazey Terrace, reinvents the traditional drugstore format into a health and daily living solutions store by pairing state-of-the-art technology with a team of trusted health care professionals to make health care more accessible and effective. The store includes a private health care practice staffed by nurse practitioners who will offer preventive care as well as treatment of common illnesses, injuries and skin conditions.

The store also brings 35 new jobs to the area and kicks off Walgreens participation in Mayor Gray’s One City, One Hire program, an initiative by which local businesses strive to create 10,000 new jobs in the District of Columbia.

“I'm delighted that Walgreens has chosen the District for this innovative pilot store and that they've committed to joining our One City, One Hire program,” Gray said. “I'm proud to celebrate the opening of another resource for job creation and economic development and look forward to our partnership with Walgreens.”

Some of the unique features at the new Walgreens for Washington D.C. residents that also creates job opportunities include:

- The pharmacist located on the sales floor in front of the pharmacy, offering a greater opportunity for patient consultation.

- A new Walgreens staff member called a Health Guide who is equipped with an iPad and answers product and services questions, and helps customers navigate the store and their health care options as well as sign up for events.

- A Health Corner space to host individual or group health and wellness community events.

- Fresh food, including fruits and vegetables, meats, prepared salads, sandwiches, wraps, take-and-bake pizzas and other on-the-go meal options, as well as convenient alternatives for “tonight’s meal.”

- Look Boutique, a high-end beauty format with a more extensive line of cosmetic and personal care products, as well as services such as makeup application and eyebrow shaping.

“This new store offers District of Columbia residents a health and daily living destination that will help them live well, stay well and get well,” said Darron Briscoe, Walgreens market vice president. “At the core of this new format is our effort to bring the pharmacist from behind the counter to a front desk, so they can provide more counseling to patients and offer clinical services such as immunizations and health screenings. Having them out front also greatly increases patients' ability to approach the pharmacist with questions.”

As part of a pilot program over the past year, Walgreens has opened 20 stores in the Chicago area with the new health and daily living format and has converted all of its stores in the Indianapolis market to the format.

“The initial response we’ve received from our customers in Chicago and Indianapolis has been extremely positive, and we’re excited to now bring this experience to residents and visitors of Washington, D.C.,” Briscoe said.

The store is Walgreens third in the District of Columbia, and the company plans to open a fourth at 7th and H streets next year. Walgreens plans to operate eight locations in the District by 2017.

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2011 sales of $72 billion. The company operates 7,812 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Each day, Walgreens provides nearly 6 million customers the most convenient, multi-channel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice in communities across America. Walgreens scope of pharmacy services includes retail, specialty, infusion, medical facility and mail service, along with respiratory services. These services improve health outcomes and lower costs for payers including employers, managed care organizations, health systems, pharmacy benefit managers and the public sector.

Walgreens
Robert Elfinger, (847) 315-2962
INTERNET: http://news.walgreens.com