History
1849
John Boot opens first Boots store, selling herbal remedies, in Goose Gate, Nottingham, UK
1851
Maison Thomas pharmaceutical distributor is founded in Agen, France
1870
The Boots business begins to develop under Jesse Boot, John Boot's son
1896
Interpharm pharmaceutical distributor created in The Netherlands
1901
Charles R. Walgreen Sr. purchases the drugstore where he had worked as a pharmacist in Chicago, U.S.
1909
Walgreen Co. is formed and the drugstore chain expansion begins with the opening of its second store
1915
Edgar Moss opens his first Moss Chemists store in Middlesex, UK
1919
S.A.F.A pharmaceutical distributor is created in Spain
1922
Walgreens invents the malted milkshake
1927
Walgreens stock becomes publicly tradedBoots acquires Beeston site in Nottingham
1933
Boots opens its 1,000th store in the UK
1934
Walgreens stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange
1935
Boots launches No7 cosmetics
1938
UniChem group is formed in the UK to wholesale pharmaceutical products to independent pharmacies
1939
Boots launches Soltan suncare range
1950
Walgreens begins the transition to self-service storesMoss Chemists prescription service delivery vans begin operating
1951
The first self-service Boots stores are trialed in London, UK
1960
Walgreens enters the Puerto Rico market
1968
Walgreens becomes the first major drugstore chain in the U.S. to put its prescriptions into child-resistant containers
1969
Boots launches ibuprofen (Brufen) in the UK
1975
Walgreens reaches $1 billion in sales
1977
Pharmaceutical wholesaler Alleanza Farmaceutica is founded by Stefano Pessina in Italy
1981
The first Intercom pharmacy computers are installed in Walgreens pharmacies in Iowa
1982
Pharmaceutical wholesaler Di Pharma is founded by Ornella Barra in Italy
1984
Walgreens opens its 1,000th store
1991
Walgreens opens its first drugstore with a drive-thru pharmacyUniChem purchases Moss Chemists in the UK
Alliance Santé group is formed from the merger between Alleanza Salute Italia and French pharmaceutical wholesalers ERPI and IFP
1997
Alliance UniChem is formed from the merger of UniChem and Alliance Santé
1998
Alliance UniChem acquires S.A.F.A. in SpainBoots becomes the largest retail pharmacy chain in Ireland
1999
Walgreens.com launches its online pharmacy
2000
Walgreens opens its 3,000th store in ChicagoAlliance UniChem commences acquisition of Alliance Apotekene pharmacies in Norway and acquires 25% stake in Turkish pharmaceutical wholesaler, Hedef
Alliance UniChem acquires Interpharm pharmaceutical wholesaler and De Vier Vijzels pharmacy chain in The Netherlands
2002
Walgreens becomes the first drugstore chain to offer prescription labels in multiple languages chainwideAlliance UniChem increases its stake in Hedef Alliance to 50%
2004
Alliance UniChem acquires 29.99% of German pharmaceutical wholesaler ANZAG
2006
Alliance UniChem merges with Boots Group to form Alliance BootsWalgreens acquires Happy Harry's drugstore chain
Walgreens begins offering in-store health clinics
2007
Alliance Boots wholesale businesses begin to be rebranded to Alliance HealthcareAlliance Boots is privatized
Walgreens opens its first store in Hawaii and its 6,000th store, located in Louisiana
Walgreens acquires Take Care Health Systems and Option Care
Over 1,000 Alliance Pharmacy stores in the UK begin to be rebranded to 'Your local Boots pharmacy'
2008
Alliance Boots forms a 50:50 joint venture with Guangzhou Pharmaceuticals Corporation, a major pharmaceutical wholesaler in China
2009
Merger of Boots Opticians and Dollond & Aitchison to form the second largest optical chain in the UK
2010
Alliance Boots becomes the majority shareholder in Hedef AllianceAlliance Boots becomes the majority shareholder in ANZAG
Walgreens completes its acquisition of the New York-based Duane Reade drugstore chain
Walgreens opens its first Well Experience format stores
2011
Duane Reade opens 24-hour flagship store in New York at 40 Wall StreetWalgreens acquires drugstore.com and Beauty.com
2012
Walgreens and Alliance Boots form a strategic partnership to create the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterpriseWalgreens opens its 8,000th store in Los Angeles and acquires USA Drug, a pharmacy chain in the mid-South U.S.
Walgreens and Alliance Boots form Walgreens Boots Alliance Development joint venture in Bern, Switzerland
2013
Walgreens and Alliance Boots announce a strategic, long-term relationship with AmerisourceBergen to collaborate on global supply chain opportunities
2014
Walgreens Boots Alliance is formed through the full combination of Walgreens and Alliance BootsAlliance Boots completes the acquisition of a 12% stake in Nanjing Pharmaceutical Company Limited, a major Chinese pharmaceutical wholesaler
Walgreens exercises option to complete second step of its strategic partnership with Alliance Boots
Alliance Boots completes acquisition of Farmacias Benavides in Mexico and Farmacias Ahumada in Chile
2015
Walgreens enters into 20-year fulfillment agreement with Valeant Pharmaceuticals that includes reduced pricing on Valeant products
2016
Hedef Alliance rebrands to Alliance Healthcare Turkey
2017
Walgreens Boots Alliance enters into long-term global supply chain agreement with FarevaWalgreens Boots Alliance receives regulatory clearance to purchase 1,932 Rite Aid drugstores in the U.S.