Shop ‘n Save Grows its Pharmacy Division
Shop ‘n Save, a grocery and drug retailer serving the St. Louis metropolitan area and Springfield, Ill., is expanding its network of pharmacies with the purchase of family-owned Rinderer’s Drug Stores Inc.
The sale involves all six Rinderer’s stores. Next month, three of the locations – in St. Louis; Union, Mo.; and Bethalto, Ill. – will become Shop ‘n Save pharmacies. The remaining Rinderer’s stores will be closed later this month and their prescription files transferred to the existing pharmacies in Shop ‘n Save grocery stores. Letters will be sent to customers of the closing Rinderer’s stores, to make sure they know where their prescriptions will be transferred and the dates the changes will take place.
“We are delighted to welcome new customers to our pharmacies, as we work to make this transition as seamless as possible,” said Shop ‘n Save President Marlene Gebhard. “Our new patients can be confident that we will offer excellent service, as well as a number of resources that can help improve their health and well being.”
Shop ‘n Save is also taking other steps to make the transition easier for affected customers. The company will accept all prescription insurance plans currently accepted by Rinderer’s, and Shop ‘n Save plans to hire as many Rinderer’s associates as possible.
Based in St. Louis, Rinderer’s has a long history in the area. The Carlisle family owned the company and operated its stores for almost 50 years.
“We want to thank our customers for giving us the opportunity to serve them for such a long time, and I believe this acquisition puts them in very good hands,” said Matthew Carlisle, Rinderer’s president. “Shop ‘n Save’s plans for our stores and associates ensure our patients will receive the same standard of care provided by Rinderer’s, with minimal disruption during the transition.”
The purchase of Rinderer’s will increase the number of pharmacies operated by Shop ‘n Save to 34 in the St. Louis metropolitan area and Springfield, Ill.
Shop ‘n Save, a wholly owned subsidiary of Minneapolis-based Supervalu Inc., has been serving the greater St. Louis; Springfield, Ill.; and Jerseyville, Ill., areas since 1979.