Drug Fair was a chain of

drugstore A pharmacy (also called drugstore in American English or community pharmacy or chemist in Commonwealth English) is a premises which provides pharmaceutical drugs, among other products. At the pharmacy, a pharmacist oversees the fulfillment of m ...

s based in

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

History

The company kept its headquarters in

Somerset, New Jersey Somerset is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Franklin Township, in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

and was founded in 1954. In addition to its drugstore chain Drug Fair also owned and operated Cost Cutters, a discount drug and general merchandise chain. In the 2000s, Drug Fair introduced a discount card called "We Care," which was the company's slogan. The card was good at any Drug Fair or Cost Cutters store as both store's logos were printed on the cards. In 2005, Drug Fair was acquired by

Sun Capital Partners Sun Capital Partners, Inc., is an American private equity firm specializing in leveraged buyouts. Sun Capital was founded in 1995 by Marc J. Leder and Rodger Krouse, former classmates at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and ...

, a private equity firm. By mid-2008 Drug Fair operated 50 locations and Cost Cutters, had another eleven locations. In March 2009, two Drug Fair locations in Raritan and

Rockaway, New Jersey Rockaway is a borough in Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 6,598, an increase of 160 (+2.5%) from the 2010 census count of 6,438, which in turn reflected a decl ...

closed abruptly. Shortly after the two stores closed, Drug Fair announced it was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Just prior to the filing for bankruptcy, Drug Fair announced it was selling thirty-two drugstores to Walgreens, who also purchased prescription lists from several other Drug Fair locations. After the purchase, Drug Fair announced that their stores in Bridgewater, North Arlington, and

East Rutherford, New Jersey East Rutherford is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is an inner suburb, inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan. As of the 2020 Unit ...

would be quickly liquidated and closed along with one of their two locations in

Clifton, New Jersey Clifton is a city in Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Criss-crossed by several major highways, the city is a regional commercial hub for North Jersey and is a bedroom suburb of New York City in the New York Metropolitan Area.L ...

. Shortly thereafter, another ten Drug Fair locations and nine Cost Cutters stores were marked for closure. These stores began liquidating immediately afterward and were shuttered in May 2009; many of the stores' leases were purchased by

Dollar General Dollar General Corporation is an American chain of discount stores headquartered in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. As of January 8, 2024, Dollar General operated 19,643 stores in the contiguous United States and Mexico. The company began in 1939 in ...

and reopened under that banner. On May 16, 2009, the sale was finalized and the Drug Fair stores still in the chain became Walgreens. Private investment company Oak Point Partners acquired the remnant assets, consisting of any known and unknown assets that weren't previously administered, from the Drug Fair Group, Inc., et al., Bankruptcy Estates on March 18, 2013.

Original Drug Fair locations

Easton, Maryland Easton is an incorporated town in and the county seat of Talbot County, Maryland, United States. The population was 17,101 at the 2020 census, with an estimated population of 17,342 in 2022. The primary ZIP Code is 21601, and the secondary ...

Manassas Park, Virginia Manassas Park is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,219. Manassas Park is bordered by the city of Manassas and Prince William County. Manassas Park is a part of the Washington-Arl ...

Plainfield, New Jersey Plainfield is a City (New Jersey), city in Union County, New Jersey, Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Nicknamed "The Queen City",

Westfield, New Jersey Westfield is a Town (New Jersey), town in Union County, New Jersey, Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, located southwest of Manhattan. As of the 2020 United States census, the town's population was 31,032, an increase of 716 (+2.4% ...

Hillside, New Jersey Hillside is a township in Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 22,456, an increase of 1,052 (+4.9%) from the 2010 census count of 21,404, which in turn reflected a ...

References

{{Walgreens Boots Alliance 1954 establishments in New Jersey 2009 disestablishments in New Jersey Companies based in Somerset County, New Jersey Retail companies established in 1954 Retail companies disestablished in 2009 Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2009 Defunct companies based in New Jersey Defunct discount stores based in New Jersey Defunct pharmacies of the United States Health care companies based in New Jersey Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey American companies established in 1954 Walgreens Boots Alliance