Content about Geography of Illinois

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens is opening its latest New York flagship store in the Empire State Building, the retail pharmacy chain said Friday.

The store, scheduled to open Saturday at 10 a.m., will include an enhanced pharmacy designed to encourage greater interaction between pharmacists and patients, a health guide to help customers find health-and-wellness products and healthcare services ranging from immunizations to health tests. An "Ask Your Pharmacist" desk, private consultation rooms and Express Rx kiosks are included as well.

NEW YORK — Sears Holdings will add some of its own products and allow customers to pick up products ordered from its flagship store in Chicago on the same day, according to published reports.

ITASCA, Ill. — Jewel-Osco is shipping "thousands" of extra doses of flu vaccine amid a flu season that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has labeled an epidemic, the retail chain said.

The company plans to ship 7,000 doses to its pharmacies starting Tuesday and continuing into Wednesday, with about 170 pharmacies set to receive some of the doses.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens will keep stores open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to allow last-minute Christmas shopping, the retail pharmacy chain said Wednesday.

This includes 1,600 24-hour locations that will be open around the clock, while most Walgreens stores will stay open until midnight through Dec. 23, and nearly all stores will be open during regular hours on Christmas Eve, including pharmacies, which will be open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. On Christmas, non-24-hour stores will be open from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., and pharmacies will be open at 24-hour stores.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens will be making a multichannel play for Black Friday customers through a mystery mobile coupon, the retailer announced Tuesday. 

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — Edward Hospital on Thursday announced the opening of two Quick Care Clinics within a pair of Supervalu's Jewel-Osco pharmacies. 

"We are always seeking new opportunities to expand our services," stated Chris Dimos, Supervalu president of pharmacy and nonfoods merchandising. "Through this partnership, we will be able to offer our patients even more tools to help them manage their health and wellness needs."

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Wednesday pledged $250,000 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund to supplement the organization's support of East Coast communities recovering from Hurricane Sandy.

The company also is donating three semitrailer truckloads of bottled water to a Red Cross facility in New Brunswick, N.J., to distribute throughout the disaster area. Walgreens stores in the region also are donating merchandise in response to community requests that have come in since the storm’s impact.

NEW YORK — The jewel in the Supervalu crown — Save-A-Lot — may be up for bid by investment firm KKR, according to a Wall Street Journal blog post published Thursday. 

Also in the hunt is Cerberus Capital Management, which is weighing a bid for all of Supervalu, WSJ reported, citing persons familiar with the matter. However, Cerberus may also look at bidding for only pieces of the grocer. 

Reportedly in the bid for the wholesale end of Supervalu's business is C&S Wholesale Grocers.   

MINNEAPOLIS — While Supervalu has completed its overhaul of its value proposition across its Jewel-Osco banner, the grocer will be analyzing the impact before replicating the price repositioning across its entire chain, the Minnesota-based supermarket chain announced Thursday morning. "We continue to have a market-leading price position amongst conventional food retailers in three markets," Wayne Sales, Supervalu president, CEO and chairman told analysts during the second-quarter conference call.

ITASCA, Ill. — Jewel-Osco on Friday announced that the company is observing Hunger Action Month this September with an aggressive campaign to raise food and funds for food banks and food pantries in the retailer's service area.

BOLINGBROOK, Ill. — Ulta Beauty experienced an increase in second-quarter same-store sales and net income as it continues to move forward with its multiyear growth strategy.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Thursday named James Skinner, Walgreens board member since 2005 and recently retired McDonald's CEO, as the new nonexecutive chairman of the board of Walgreens. Skinner will succeed Al McNally, who has served on the Walgreens board since 1999 and as nonexecutive chairman since 2009. McNally will continue serving on the Walgreens board.