London Drugs is ushering in a new era for Canadian retail with the official opening of its most ambitious store to date — a 20,000-square-foot flagship at The Amazing Brentwood in Burnaby, British Columbia. Launching May 9, the concept store marks a significant evolution for the 80-year-old Western Canadian retailer as it focuses on innovation, human-centred design, and sustainability to reimagine the in-store experience for the decade ahead.
The opening also marks the relocation of London Drugs from its longstanding home in the former Brentwood Town Centre indoor mall — a transition that signals a broader transformation underway at the master-planned Brentwood development. With Shape Properties moving toward demolishing the former mall site to make way for future towers, green spaces, and walkable street retail, London Drugs is one of the earliest anchor tenants embracing this new vision for the area.
Reimagining the Future of Retail
Located in the main plaza of The Amazing Brentwood, next to LL Bean and beneath Cineplex’s The Rec Room, the new London Drugs store is the result of a multi-year design project initiated in 2021. In collaboration with Montreal-based interior architecture firm Rümker, the retailer began to explore what a 2035 retail experience might look like, and how it could serve the evolving needs of customers in an era marked by rapid social and technological change.
“At London Drugs, we are inspired to create the best possible experience for our customers, driven by our desire to anticipate their needs before they discover the existence of those needs,” said Clint Mahlman, president and COO of London Drugs. “Through this project, we are showcasing our flexibility as a retailer to move with the evolving needs of our customers and adapt to provide a retail environment rooted in sustainability and wellness.”
The result is a store that pushes boundaries while remaining grounded in London Drugs’ core values — community, personalized service, and innovation.
A Space Built Around People
Guided by four key principles — assistance, personalization, community, and discovery — the Brentwood flagship introduces a radically open and seamless layout that fosters intuitive navigation and interaction.
“This initiative is more than a redesign — it is a repositioning that expresses London Drugs’ commitment to a user-centered experience,” said Justin Dubé-Fahmy, president and founder of Rümker. “We explored and tested dozens of concepts and validated them with real users. Every aspect of the new shopping experience has been designed to feel intuitive, personal, and human. We are particularly proud of the ‘Believe in Better’ section, which anchors the space in the brand’s vision for a more sustainable future.”
This “Believe in Better” zone serves as a central point for products and services aligned with health, wellness, and sustainability — a cornerstone of the new concept store. From curated beauty items with a dermatological focus to a wellness centre with enhanced pharmacy consultation rooms, the space is designed to support a 360-degree view of customer health.
“Providing the highest standard of personalized care to customers is at the heart of London Drugs, and our reenvisioned pharmacy enables our pharmacists to continue supporting the healthcare needs of the community into the future,” said Chris Chiew, vice president of pharmacy and healthcare at London Drugs.
Sustainability Integrated Into the Everyday
Environmental sustainability also takes centre stage in the new concept. London Drugs has long been recognized for its recycling programs and waste diversion initiatives, and the Brentwood store builds on this legacy.
A key new feature is a refill station developed in partnership with SC Johnson, one of the world’s largest household goods manufacturers. Customers will now be able to refill reusable pouches with Method and Mrs. Meyer’s branded hand and dish soaps — a move that can cut retail plastic use by as much as 93%.
“The environmental benefits of refilling and reusing containers in terms of both carbon and plastic reduction are unparalleled,” said Fisk Johnson, chairman and CEO of SC Johnson. “We’ve worked closely with our partners at London Drugs to make the method® and Mrs. Meyers Clean Day® refill machines as convenient as possible for people, which is key to the success of refill/reuse systems. We think it is incumbent on all of us to innovate refill/reuse opportunities and push for regulatory measures to help with adoption of these systems.”
In addition to the refill station, the store features a redesigned product recycling area with clearly marked, accessible bins for a wide array of items, reinforcing the company’s long-standing environmental commitment.
“As London Drugs celebrates its 80th year in business in 2025, it is an honour for us to introduce more sustainable solutions for customers in our stores,” said Mahlman. “The continued support from customers across Canada is enabling us to do this, and we welcome everyone to experience the retail store of tomorrow at our Burnaby location.”
A Longstanding Retailer Positioned for the Future
Founded in 1945 by pharmacist Sam Bass, London Drugs has grown from a single storefront on Vancouver’s Main Street into a trusted regional chain serving Western Canada. Acquired by the H.Y. Louie Group in 1976, the company steadily expanded across B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, while building a reputation for integrating photography, electronics, and household goods into its drugstore footprint.
Today, the company operates 80 stores and employs over 9,000 people. It offers everything from cosmetics and vitamins to tech support and insurance services — blending traditional pharmacy operations with a broader general merchandise approach. Its product lines include in-house brands such as Certified Data (computers), London Home (housewares), and London Naturals (wellness products).
More recently, London Drugs has invested in its digital infrastructure and omnichannel capabilities through its online platform, www.londondrugs.com, which allows customers to shop, book photo services, and refill prescriptions remotely.
In 2024, the retailer faced a significant challenge in the form of a ransomware attack that temporarily shuttered all store locations. The company refused to pay the demanded $25 million ransom, instead focusing on recovery and transparency. While some employee data was compromised, the company confirmed that customer data remained secure.
Despite that setback, the brand has rebounded, continuing to grow and adapt — and the Brentwood concept store is now being positioned as the blueprint for London Drugs’ future physical retail strategy.
“Enhancing and refining the retail experience for customers is a process that is always ongoing,” said Kevin Sorby, general manager of retail operations at London Drugs. “At London Drugs, we are operating with the future front and centre to ensure our stores and teams are adapting to support the diverse needs of the surrounding communities.”
A Model for Community-Based, Canadian Retail
The new concept store comes at a pivotal time in Canadian retail. As consumer expectations shift toward values-based shopping, wellness integration, and environmental responsibility, London Drugs is responding with a tangible commitment through its flagship. By combining sustainable innovation with a distinctly human approach, the brand is both reinforcing its existing identity and laying the groundwork for the next decade.
With plans to continue evolving its retail footprint, London Drugs’ Burnaby location could well become a model for future builds and renovations across the retailer’s Western Canadian network.
C’mon, did anyone else actually think those were still photos of the last London drugs. They look the same. Nice marketing though.!!