Hook's Drug Stores

Hook's Drug Stores was an Indianapolis, Indiana-based drug store chain which was founded in 1900 by John A. Hook. The chain flourished throughout central Indiana for most of the 20th-century before being acquired by Revco which was in turn acquired by CVS. Many former Hook's locations are now CVS pharmacies.

History

In October 1900, pharmacist John A. Hook opened the first Hook's Drug Store in an Indianapolis German community at the corner of South East and Prospect Streets. A second location opened at the corner of New Jersey and East Washington Streets and Hook added Edward F. Roesch as a partner. [cite web |url=http://www.rxmuseum.org/information.htm |title=Hook’s Drugs, Inc. and Hook’s American Drugstore Museum |accessdate=2007-12-17] By 1912, the chain had expanded to twelve stores. Roesch became president of the company in 1943 upon Hook's death. In 1956, following Roesch's death in a traffic accident, John Hook's son, August F. “Bud” Hook, assumed leadership of the company. The chain added 150 new stores between 1946 and 1972. [cite book |last=Bodenhamer |first=David J. |authorlink= |coauthors=Robert Graham Barrows, David Gordon Vanderstel |editor= |others= |title=The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis |year=1994 |publisher=Indiana University Press |location=Indianapolis |isbn=0253312221 |pages=706]

In 1985, The Kroger Company outbid Rite Aid, which had attempted a hostile takeover, [cite web |url=http://www.rxmuseum.org/information.htm |title=Hook’s Drugs, Inc. and Hook’s American Drugstore Museum |accessdate=2007-12-17] and acquired the Hook's chain. Kroger divested itself of Hook's a year later, however, and Hook's became a division of the privately-held Hook’s-SupeRx [cite book |last=Bodenhamer |first=David J. |authorlink= |coauthors=Robert Graham Barrows, David Gordon Vanderstel |editor= |others= |title=The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis |year=1994 |publisher=Indiana University Press |location=Indianapolis |isbn=0253312221 |pages=706] .

Hook's-SupeRx acquired the New England-based Brooks Pharmacy chain in 1988 [cite book |last=Bodenhamer |first=David J. |authorlink= |coauthors=Robert Graham Barrows, David Gordon Vanderstel |editor= |others= |title=The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis |year=1994 |publisher=Indiana University Press |location=Indianapolis |isbn=0253312221 |pages=706-707] . Hooks-SupeRx stores traded under three different names - Hook's Drug and SupeRx in the Midwest and Brooks Pharmacy in New England. Hook's-SupeRx was acquired by Revco in 1994. [cite web |url=http://www.rxmuseum.org/information.htm |title=Hook’s Drugs, Inc. and Hook’s American Drugstore Museum |accessdate=2007-12-17] Revco was subsequently acquired by CVS in 1997. Many former Hook's locations are now CVS Pharmacies.

Until 2007, Brooks was the only former Hook's brand which lived on, as a division of the Canadian-based Jean Coutu Group. Rite Aid bought the Brooks chain from Jean Coutu in 2007, and will eliminate the Brooks name.

A restored 19th-century Hook's drug store stands at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, and is a popular attraction at the annual Indiana State Fair. It was originally built in 1849 and has been restored with authentic 19th century cabinets. [ [http://www.rxmuseum.org/information.htm Hooks Drug Store Museum and Soda Fountain, Indianapolis, Indiana ] ]

Former Locations

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*Anderson: Several locations, including Meridian Street downtown (all now closed)
*Bedford: Two locations (Lincoln Plaza and the former JayC Plaza), both became Revco and later CVS; both were closed and replaced with larger downtown location. Lincoln Plaza location is now a locally-owned pharmacy.
*Bloomington
*Brownstown: Now CVS?
*Columbus
**Store #41 2150 State Street. Built in early '60's. Later became Revco #3149. Revco decided to relocate to the former Jay C store (same address) that was part of the same Shopping center, but in mid process, CVS bought Revco and some of the work had to be redone to fit CVS. Opened in new location on 11/02/97. Still at that location as CVS #6749. The Dollar Store opened up a store in the former Hook's store side of the building shortly after the move, and is still there today.
**Store #73 2610 Eastbrook Plaza. Was part of Eastbrook Plaza for years. Changed to Revco #3157 and later CVS #6157. Moved to the site of the former Blockbuster Video Store at 3055 25th St. in 2006?
**Store #327 4110 W Jonathan Moore Pike(Westhill Shopping Center.) Later became Revco #3792 and then CVS #6792. Now empty. Relocated to a newly built store nearby at 4495 W State Road 46 in 2001?
*Edinburgh
*Fort Wayne (Remember one at the corner of Rudisill and Calhoun streets as kid and others around town)
*Franklin: Had 2 locations 1 was downtown Franklin, the other in the Marsh Plaza on US 31. The downtown location closed in the 90s, the one in Marsh Plaza became a Revco, then a CVS. It relocated in 1999. Now it has been split up into 5 small stores, one of which is a Papa Murphy's Pizza.
*Gas City
**Store #??: 808 East Main Street. Became Revco #?. Became CVS #?. Opened in new location in 2002Fact|date=November 2007 at the intersection of 3rd and Main streets. AutoZone opened up a store in the former Hook's store after the move, and is still there today.
*Greenwood
*Indianapolis (Multiple locations)
*Knightstown: Morgan & McCullum St. [cite book |title=Henry County Phone Directory, 1982-83 |year=1982 |publisher=Phone Directories Co. |location=Provo, Utah]
*Kokomo - several locations, one previously a SuperX location. Most locations were either merged or built new buildings as CVS.
*Logansport - 3 locations
**Eastgate Plaza: Became Revco, moved to Cass Plaza, now a CVS/pharmacy.
**North 3rd Street: Became Revco then CVS/pharmacy. Currently in new building across the street from the original location.
**West Market Street: Became Revco then CVS/pharmacy. CVS built a new location to the east which is now closed. Original location now houses an auto parts store.
*Marion
**901 East Bradford Street: Became Revco #?. Became CVS #? and closed in 2002? Family Dollar opened up a third Marion store in the former Hook's store, and is still there today.
**404 West 3rd Street: Built in early '60's.Fact|date=November 2007 Moved to 321 West 3rd Street in 1993? Became Revco #??After CVS bought Revco and some of the work had to be redone to fit CVS, the location moved again to its current location at 415 West 3rd Street. Still at that location as CVS #6621. Dave's Video opened up a store in the former Hook's store side of the building before the move to its current location in 2006, closed its doors and is still there today vacant (as well as the 3221 West 3rd Street location).
**3201 South Adams Street: Became Revco #?. Became CVS #2284Fact|date=November 2007 and moved to the former RiteAid pharmacy at 4514 South Adams Street (next to Marsh.) Family Dollar opened up a store in the former Hook's store after the move, and is still there today.
**3701 South Western Avenue: Closed in the early 1990s Fact|date=November 2007 The building is now used as Tire Barn's only location in Marion
*Mount Vernon: Became a Revco, then a CVS; CVS moved across the street and an O'Reilly Auto Parts now uses the building.
*Nashville: New CVS built in place of it.
*New Castle [cite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=New Castle White/Yellow Pages, 1991-92 |origdate= |origyear=1991 |origmonth=February |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher=Indiana Bell Telephone Company |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=62 |chapter= |chapterurl= |quote= ]
**New Castle Plaza - 433 S. Memorial Dr.
**Payne Village Shopping Center
**1541 Washington St.
*Mooresville: Became Revco and then CVS. CVS moved across the street to Southbridge Crossing in 1998, and Core Fitness Club now occupies the building.
*North Vernon (2?)
*Seymour (2?): 1 was in the Jackson County Shopping Center? and 1 was downtown. Possibly was a third.
*Shelbyville (2): One location on State Road 9, and the other on State Road 44. Both became Revco stores, but were later closed, when a new building was built at the Junction of State Road 9 and State Road 44. It ultimately became a CVS store.
*Tipton - two locations, now consolidated into one CVS.
*Whiteland: Now CVS?Ohio:Columbus: On Sawmill Road in the old Kroger Plaza, is now used as the CVS/Pharmacy Regional Headquarters. Was a SuperX store, became Revco, then CVS. It sat empty until the headquarters moved in after CVS built a new freestanding store just down the street.

Hook's Apothecary

In 2000, the great-grandchildren of John A. Hook opened Hook's Apothecary in Evansville, Indiana. The store specializes in compounding prescriptions. It has no corporate ties to CVS.

Hook's Oxygen and Medical Equipment

After Hook's was sold to Revco, the Oxygen and Medical Equipment stores continued under the Hook's name in many of the same locations as before. It is now a subsidiary of Rotech Medical Corporation [ [http://www.secinfo.com/dsdTs.9P5.a.htm SEC Info - Rotech Medical Corp - 10-K - For 7/31/96 - EX-22.1 ] ]

External links

* [http://www.rxmuseum.org/ Hook's Drug Store Museum and Soda Fountain]
* [http://www.hooksrx.com/ Hook's Apothecary]

References