Walgreens -- the drugstore chain more often associated with "cheap" than with "chic" -- is planning to storm the bastion of mainstream clothing retailers by becoming the first pharmacy to roll out its own line of apparel.
Walgreens has opted to go counter-couture with its Casual Gear line. All told, there will be 15 items initially, ranging in price from $6.99 to $14.99.
The line will be launched April 1 in all, or virtually all, of Walgreens' 6,237 stores. Advertising will be low-key initially, with ads placed in Sunday newspaper supplements.
Walgreen Co., based in Deerfield, Ill., decided to go the private-label apparel route after watching how well similar products made by other brands were selling.
"We've had clothing in our stores for many years, and as we've seen it grow and expand, it came to be viewed as a tremendous opportunity," said Lauren Vondrasek, a Walgreens category manager.
"We are not high-fashion," Vondrasek said. "At the end of the day we are still a drugstore."
DOW JONES NEWS SERVICE
