Big B Drugs

1977 Big B Drugs advertisement

Big B Drugs was a drug store chain that began operation in 1968 as part of Bruno's Supermarkets, headquartered in Birmingham. Most of its stores were located next to a Bruno's, Food World or FoodMax, all Bruno's-owned stores.

In 1982, Big B was spun-off from Bruno's Supermarkets into an independent company, Big B Inc., headquartered at 2600 Morgan Road in Bessemer. In 1989, Big B acquired 85 Reed Drug Stores and Lee Drug Stores in Georgia and East Alabama from Peoples Drug.

The company had 397 locations, 6,000 employees, and close to $800 million in revenue by 1996, making it the 10th largest pharmacy chain in the United States. It had experienced 19 straight quarters of sales and earnings gains until costs overshadowed revenues in the third quarter of 1995, partly because of the pricing pressure exerted by Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs). The precipitous decline in earnings were compounded by higher employee and insurance costs. A new $20 million computerized tracking system, installed the same year, quickly revealed the rapidly-tightening margins, forcing the company to adjust its forward outlook statements downward, causing a tumble in stock prices. The combined effects of those developments made the company especially vulnerable to a takeover.

A $14-per-share hostile takeover bid by Twinsburg, Ohio-based Revco Drug Stores was initially dismissed by chairman Anthony Bruno and was quickly raised to $15. After Big-B's investment bankers solicited offers from other rival chains, a bidding competition broke between Revco and an unnamed suitor. Revco ultimately pushed their offer up to $17.25 per share and the other suitor dropped out of the bidding.

Within months, Revco was itself acquired by Woonsocket, Rhode Island-based CVS. By the end of 1997, all Big B Drugs and Revco were operating as CVS locations. Big B Inc. remained the franchise owner and licensee well after the change was made.

Birmingham District locations

A Big B Drugs storefront

• 520 Highway 119, Alabaster
• 901 9th Avenue North, Bessemer
• 2910 Morgan Road, Bessemer
• 221 20th Street North, Birmingham
• 7501 1st Avenue North, Birmingham/East Lake
• 1431 11th Avenue South, Birmingham
• 2228 Bessemer Road, Birmingham
• 5956 Chalkville Mountain Road, Birmingham
• 228 Gadsden Highway, Birmingham/Roebuck
• 105 Inverness Plaza, Birmingham/Highway 280
• 4500 Montevallo Road, Birmingham
• Queensbury Shopping Center, Carson Road, Birmingham
• 2040 Springdale Lane, Birmingham
• 301 Walker Chapel Road, Fultondale
• 1303 Decatur Highway, Gardendale
• 4685 Highway 17, Helena
• 3030 Independence Drive, Homewood
• 418 West Valley Avenue, Homewood
• Clearbrook Road near Shades Mountain Plaza, Hoover/Bluff Park
• 1769 Montgomery Highway, Hoover
• Southlake Shopping Center, Valleydale Road, Hoover
• Allison-Bonnett Memorial Drive, Hueytown
• Highway 78, Irondale
• 200 Highway 78, Jasper
• Leeds
• The Crossroads, Moody
• 2738 U.S. Highway 31, Pelham, opened January 1974
• Center Point Road, Pinson
• 315 Main Street, Trussville
• 1451 Montgomery Highway, Vestavia Hills
• 2480 Rocky Ridge Road, Vestavia Hills
• 4197 Crosshaven Drive, Vestavia Hills/Cahaba Heights
• Bellview Plaza Shopping Center Aaron Aronov Drive Fairfield

References

• Williams, Roy L. (June 30, 1996) "Big B's blues: The drugstore giant has suffered from poor earnings, despite record sales, bit it says rumors of a buyout are just that." The Birmingham News
• Underwood, Jerry (October 3, 1996) "Big B says others beat Revco's offer." The Birmingham News
• Underwood, Jerry (November 3, 1996) "Revco rival for Big B dropped out at last minute." The Birmingham News
• Underwood, Jerry (January 12, 1997) "Big B was big pool's small fish: Pharmacy shark Revco gobbled up drug chain." Birmingham News
• "Big B Drugs" (July 14, 2007) Wikipedia - accessed July 25, 2007
• Bruno's Supermarkets annual reports 1971-1983
• Big B, Inc. Annual Reports 1982-1995
• Imasco, Limited Annual Report 1986-1989