Updated at 4:31 p.m., Thursday, November 30, 2006
Walgreens takes Tower Records Ke'eaumoku location
Andrew Gomes
Advertiser Staff Writer
The agreement positions the nation's biggest-selling drug store chain to open what could be its first of several Hawai'i stores.
Walgreens' arrival will bring more choices for consumers and competition for other retailers, particularly Longs Drug Stores, the much smaller but long-established chain here.
Illinois-based Walgreens has been seeking Hawai'i store locations for more than a year, and in August 2005 was negotiating for space at Pearl Kai Shopping Center.
Walgreens officials could not be reached for comment. The company has declined to comment recently on its prospects for Hawai'i stores.
Walgreens has arranged to assume several leases in several states from Tower Records, which filed bankruptcy in August and is being liquidated.
According to a Nov. 17 U.S. Bankruptcy Court filing in Delaware, Tower's parent company gave notice that it intended to assign Tower's lease on Ke'eumoku to Walgreens parent Walgreen Co., which intends to use the site for retail sales.
