Walgreens has been a familiar name in American communities for generations. For many customers, it is the place they visit to collect prescriptions, speak with a pharmacist, receive vaccinations, buy health products, or pick up everyday essentials.
But Walgreens has changed considerably over the years. The company is now placing greater emphasis on pharmacy, healthcare access, digital convenience, and a more focused retail operation.
In 2026, Walgreens is also marking 125 years since its founding in Chicago in 1901. The company says it now has approximately 8,000 locations serving communities across all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
What Is Walgreens?
Walgreens is an American community retail pharmacy and healthcare company. Its stores combine prescription services with health and wellness products, personal care items, convenience products, and other everyday essentials.
The business began as a small neighborhood drugstore founded by pharmacist Charles R. Walgreen Sr. Over time, it expanded into one of the best-known pharmacy chains in the United States.
Today, Walgreens describes its focus as becoming the best community retail pharmacy, with particular attention to pharmacy excellence, access, care, and customer experience.
This focus is important because the traditional drugstore model is changing. Customers increasingly expect convenient digital services, fast prescription fulfillment, delivery options, and access to healthcare without always needing to visit a doctor’s office.
A Brief History of Walgreens
Walgreens began in 1901 when Charles R. Walgreen Sr. purchased the Chicago drugstore where he worked as a pharmacist.
The original store was small compared with the Walgreens locations people know today. However, the company’s early emphasis on service and convenience became an important part of its identity.
Over the decades, Walgreens introduced innovations that helped change the American drugstore experience. Its history includes developments in pharmacy technology, prescription services, drive-through pharmacies, digital ordering, and delivery.
The company launched Walgreens.com in 1999, creating another way for customers to interact with the brand.
In 2026, Walgreens is celebrating its 125th anniversary, giving the company an opportunity to look back at its history while also focusing on its future.
Walgreens in 2026
One of the biggest changes surrounding Walgreens is its transition to a private standalone company.
In August 2025, Walgreens announced that it was operating as a private standalone company following its acquisition by Sycamore Partners. Mike Motz was appointed chief executive officer as part of the transition.
The change represents an important new chapter for the business.
Walgreens has said it is returning attention to its core pharmacy and retail platform, stores, and customer experience. The company is also simplifying operations as it works toward a more focused business model.
What Services Does Walgreens Offer?
Walgreens provides a wide range of pharmacy and healthcare services.
Prescription Services
Prescription fulfillment remains at the heart of the Walgreens business.
Customers can manage prescriptions, request refills, receive alerts, and use Walgreens locations for pickup. The company also offers delivery options for eligible products and prescriptions.
For people taking regular medications, digital prescription management can reduce the need for repeated trips to a store.
Walgreens says its pharmacy network provides prescription services and consultations at approximately 8,000 locations.
Vaccinations and Immunizations
Vaccinations are another major part of community pharmacy.
Depending on eligibility, location, and availability, Walgreens offers vaccination services that can help customers access routine immunizations without making a traditional doctor’s appointment.
Pharmacists can also provide information about certain vaccines and help customers understand which services may be appropriate for them.
Health Screenings
Walgreens also provides selected health screening and clinical services.
The availability of particular services can vary by location, so customers should check their local pharmacy before visiting.
The broader goal is to make basic healthcare services more accessible within communities.
Walgreens Online and Digital Services
Modern pharmacy customers increasingly expect to manage healthcare through their phones or computers.
Walgreens has developed digital services around prescription management, shopping, delivery, pharmacy information, and healthcare.
The company’s website allows customers to manage prescriptions, schedule vaccinations, shop for health products, and explore available services.
The Walgreens app also plays an important role in connecting customers with their pharmacy information.
Prescription Alerts
Prescription notifications can make it easier to know when a medication is ready.
Instead of repeatedly contacting a pharmacy, customers can receive digital updates and then choose an appropriate pickup or delivery option.
Pickup and Delivery
Convenience is another important part of the Walgreens strategy.
The company currently promotes options including 30-minute pickup, one-hour delivery, and free shipping for certain prescriptions and daily needs. Availability can vary depending on product, location, and other conditions.
These services are particularly useful for customers who have difficulty making frequent trips to a store.
Walgreens and GLP-1 Weight Management Services
Healthcare services related to weight management have become an important area of pharmacy and digital healthcare.
In February 2026, Walgreens announced a new Walgreens Weight Management service through its Virtual Healthcare platform. The program gives eligible adults access to clinician-guided support through online visits, with the possibility of FDA-approved medication options when appropriate.
Walgreens also announced support for eligible Medicare patients using the new Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program.
The company said that, beginning July 1, 2026, eligible patients could access qualifying GLP-1 medications through the program at a $50 monthly copay, subject to the program’s eligibility requirements. Walgreens pharmacists are available to help eligible patients understand the process.
Customers should always speak with an appropriate healthcare professional about whether a medication is suitable for them.
What Can You Buy at Walgreens?
Although pharmacy services are central to the business, Walgreens stores also carry a broad selection of consumer products.
Common categories include:
| Category | Examples |
| Pharmacy | Prescription medicines and pharmacy services |
| Health | First aid, home healthcare, wellness products |
| Personal Care | Skincare, haircare, hygiene products |
| Beauty | Cosmetics and beauty essentials |
| Baby & Kids | Baby care and children’s products |
| Seasonal | Holiday, summer, and seasonal merchandise |
| Walgreens Brand | Store-brand health and wellness products |
| Everyday Essentials | Selected household and convenience items |
The exact product range differs between locations, so a smaller neighborhood store may not carry everything available through the online shop or larger locations.
MyWalgreens Membership
Walgreens also operates its customer loyalty program, myWalgreens.
Membership can provide access to personalized offers, digital coupons, rewards, and other shopping benefits.
Walgreens’ current website says that customers need a myWalgreens membership to clip certain coupons online.
The company’s 2026 anniversary material says the loyalty program has grown to more than 134 million members.
For regular shoppers, checking the available offers before purchasing can help identify discounts on eligible products.
Walgreens Store Closures and Business Changes
Store closures have been an important part of the Walgreens story in recent years.
The company previously announced plans to close a large number of underperforming locations as part of efforts to reduce costs and improve its business model. More recently, following the change in ownership, the pace of closures has been adjusted.
Recent reporting indicates Walgreens expects fewer than 100 store closures during 2026, rather than the much larger number that had previously been discussed.
The company is also reviewing its distribution network. A Houston-area distribution center is among the facilities affected by the ongoing effort to streamline operations.
For customers, this means the availability of a nearby Walgreens can change over time.
If a local store closes, customers should check the nearest alternative location and confirm pharmacy hours before making a trip.
Walgreens and Pharmacy Automation
Technology is becoming increasingly important behind the scenes.
Walgreens has invested in micro-fulfillment centers and automation to help process routine prescriptions.
According to Walgreens, automation across 13 micro-fulfillment centers supports more than 6,900 stores and helps fill more than 18 million prescriptions each month. The company says this allows pharmacists to spend more time on direct patient care.
The idea is not simply to replace human work with technology.
Instead, automation can handle repetitive, high-volume tasks while pharmacists concentrate on consultations, medication questions, vaccinations, and other patient-facing responsibilities.
Walgreens Pharmacy Access
Accessibility remains one of Walgreens’ major advantages.
The company says approximately 78% of Americans live within five miles of a Walgreens, while its network includes around 8,000 locations across all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
This broad footprint means community pharmacies can play an important role in helping people access routine healthcare services.
However, opening hours and available services vary by location. A store may have different retail and pharmacy hours, particularly on weekends and holidays.
Checking the specific location before visiting is therefore a sensible habit.
Why Walgreens Remains Important
The role of a pharmacy has expanded beyond simply dispensing medication.
People increasingly want convenient access to vaccinations, health information, prescription management, digital healthcare, and everyday wellness products.
Walgreens is positioning itself around this broader concept of community pharmacy.
At the same time, the company is trying to simplify its operations and concentrate on areas where it believes it can deliver the most value.
This balance between traditional retail pharmacy and modern healthcare services will likely remain important to Walgreens’ future.
Walgreens’ 125-Year Legacy
Reaching 125 years is a significant milestone for any company.
Walgreens began with one small Chicago drugstore and eventually became a national pharmacy network.
The company has experienced major changes in retail, healthcare, technology, and consumer behavior throughout its history.
Its 2026 anniversary messaging emphasizes that the business is using its history as a foundation while focusing on a new chapter centered on pharmacy, access, and care.
That approach reflects a broader change in the pharmacy industry, where customers increasingly expect convenience and healthcare support to work together.
How to Get the Most From Walgreens
Customers can make their Walgreens experience easier by planning ahead.
If you need a prescription, check its status online or through the app before leaving home.
For vaccinations or other healthcare services, confirm availability and appointment requirements at the specific location.
When shopping for everyday products, checking myWalgreens offers can also help identify available savings.
It is equally important to remember that not every Walgreens provides exactly the same services. Store size, pharmacy hours, healthcare offerings, and inventory can vary.
Final Thoughts
Walgreens remains one of the most recognizable community pharmacy brands in the United States.
Its role today goes beyond prescriptions. The company combines pharmacy services, vaccinations, healthcare support, digital tools, delivery, retail products, and increasingly personalized healthcare options.
The business is also going through a significant transformation. Its move to private ownership in 2025, continued store and distribution changes, investment in automation, and renewed focus on pharmacy show that Walgreens is trying to build a more focused model for the future.
At the same time, 2026 marks 125 years since the company’s founding. With thousands of locations and a large customer base, Walgreens continues to have a significant presence in American communities.
For customers, the most useful approach is simple: check the services available at your local store, use digital tools when convenient, and speak with qualified healthcare professionals when you have questions about medications or health services.
