Compiled by Sara Westhead

For more than 100 years, Phoenix Stores Limited has been providing the Island with a wide variety of health and wellness products, making it one of the oldest establishments in Bermuda.

It all started when Phoenix Drug Store first opened its doors on November 5, 1902. It was the first business to be illuminated by electricity, generated by its own plant on the premises. That night the verandas were ablaze with light — a strange spectacle in those days of gas and oil illumination. People gathered from miles around to witness what was thought to be another Guy Fawkes display.

In 1910, The Bermuda Drug Company was formed with The Phoenix as the flagship of what has become a budding retail business with principal shareholders including Laurion Conway Trott, Howard Mercer and William James Young.

Four years later, the store became part of the US Rexall Drug Store family — making it one of the first franchises in Bermuda and eight years later The Bermuda Drug Company Ltd. was formally incorporated into a limited liability company under Bermuda Law.

The first Board of Directors was elected later that year and consisted of Laurion Trott, William Young, Howard C. Mercer, Francis Young, Mabel Mercer and Frances Trott. It was around the same time that the company opened a toy store called Bon Marche which was later renamed the Annex.BGA formed<$>In 1933 the Bermuda General Agency (developed as the wholesale arm of the business) set up business in a building on the corner of Church and Parliament Streets and in 1952 the store celebrated its golden anniversary, offering Velvet ice cream free with every purchase of 10 shillings. The same year, the Patio in Paget was purchased and Paget Pharmacy officially opened.

The Phoenix Stores Ltd. celebrated its 60th anniversary in 1962, offering a quart of Borden’s ice cream free with every purchase of one pound. A year later, a new retail shop in the Bermudiana Building was opened to showcase paperbacks and magazines and the Bookmart was born.

Construction on a new Bermuda General Agency building was started on Par-la-Ville Road by Carr Construction in 1965. A year later the Plaza Drug Store in Piggly Wiggly Plaza opened in Somerset, as did the Bermudiana (Hotel) Lobby Shop and Woodbourne Chemist.

Ten years later, in 1975, Collectors Hill Apothecary opened in Smith’s Parish on the site of the old Knick Knack shop and a year later Granaway Distributors was formed as a subsidiary of Bermuda General Agency to handle the Bristol Myers business in Bermuda. The St. George’s Druggist opened as the newest Phoenix Store in 1977.

During the 1980’s, Ward Young took over as president and CEO of the Bermuda Drug Company Ltd., after developing BGA into the largest distributor of health and beauty aids, pharmaceuticals and drug sundries on the Island.

The Phoenix Stores Ltd. computerised its pharmacy dispensing system in 1987 and a year later, the Bermuda Drug Company Ltd. changed its name to BDC Ltd.

Also in 1988, Rural Hill Plaza Ltd. and Reid Hall Limited were incorporated for the purpose of developing the land currently used by Paget Pharmacy and the Annex.

Construction at Rural Hill Plaza started in 1989 and was completed a year later, just as construction on the old Phoenix building began. The Phoenix building was completed in 1990 and the bottom floor was rented to Aston and Gunn.

The early 1990s saw major growth for BDC Ltd., through its subsidiary Bermuda General Agency. First, it acquired Weldon Ltd. and formally entered the grocery business with the acquisition of product lines such as Heinz, Eveready, First Brands (Glad), Borden’s and Oscar Meyer. Then it purchased all the operations of wholesale giant Purvis Distributors Ltd., including its Mill Creek facility, for the value of inventory and a goodwill figure of sales.

The move solidified the company’s presence in the grocery business with grade A lines such as Procter and Gamble, Clorox, Kellogg’s, Hunt-Wesson, Cadburys and Dole. Two years later, the BGA Group divested itself of food service and frozen lines.

In 1995 Linda Pollett joined the staff as Vice President of Finance, BDC LTD and George Grundm|0xfc|ller as Vice President of Purchasing of the BGA Group of Companies. A year later, Ward Young took over as President and CEO of BDC Ltd. and became the single largest shareholder.

The Phoenix Drug Store saw another massive refit in 1997 as the Hallmark Card section was moved upstairs to make way for better layout on the main floor. George Grundm|0xfc|ller was also appointed as President & CEO of Phoenix Stores Ltd.

A year later, <$>Collectors Hill Apothecary was reopened after the store underwent a massive refit. The Phoenix Stores installed a state-of-the-art pharmacy computer system and introduced the “Charge it ‘n fly” programme, which allowed customers to earn one American Airlines|0xae| AAdvantage Mile for every dollar charged to their Phoenix Charge Card.

The Bermuda Pharmacy moved from Church Street, next to the bus depot, to the new Waterfront on Pitt’s Bay Road in 1999, and in 2000, Ward Young purchased Clarendon Pharmacy. The Annex Toys also launched “Baby Zone” that same year to expand their product line of developmental toys, cribs, strollers and car seats for newborns and toddlers.New ownerOn December 4, 2000 a deal was announced marking a new chapter in the company’s history. The Phoenix Group and BGA Group of companies, originally held by BDC2000, was sold to C.T. Famous Ltd., owned by Wendall Brown.

In November 2002, the company proudly celebrated its 100th year of service to the community. Since that time, the company has continued to provide the community with a wide variety of products and services, including pharmaceuticals, personal products, seasonal items, toys, cards, books, gifts and sundries.

They are excited to have expanded their offerings with the new facilities in the Phoenix Drug Store and with the opening of P-Tech, at the location of the former Stuarts.