London Drugs
A Canadian retail pharmacy and department-store chain serving Western Canada.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
London Drugs is a Canadian retail pharmacy and general-merchandise chain headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia. The company operates stores across Western Canada, combining prescription and pharmacy services with a broad assortment of consumer products. Its locations typically sell medicines, health and personal-care products, cosmetics, small household appliances, electronics, cameras, photo services, toys, housewares, and a limited selection of grocery items. The business began in 1945, when Sam Bass opened a small drugstore at 800 Main Street in Vancouver. Bass selected the London name in reference to the English city and the city’s association with the Canadian monarchy. Although the company started as a conventional neighborhood drugstore, its later development was shaped by a widening retail proposition. London Drugs gradually added non-pharmacy categories that were unusual for a traditional drugstore, including consumer electronics, photography equipment, appliances, cosmetics, and household merchandise. Ownership changes were important in the chain’s history. London Drugs was sold to the American company Daylin, Inc. in 1968. Daylin subsequently experienced financial difficulties in its United States operations and put the Canadian chain up for sale. In 1976, the H.Y. Louie Group acquired London Drugs under the direction of president Tong Louie. The new ownership accelerated geographic expansion, taking the chain beyond British Columbia for the first time with an Edmonton store in Alberta in 1976. During the following decade, the number of stores tripled. London Drugs also used service innovation to distinguish its stores from conventional pharmacies. In 1981, it introduced one-hour photofinishing laboratories, connecting retail locations to the rapid development of one-hour photo processing. In 1983, it added a computer department, extending the chain further into technology retail. Photography remained an important part of the proposition, and the company later strengthened that capability through its 2019 acquisition of Edmonton-based McBain Camera. The chain continued its westward and interprovincial expansion with the opening of its first Manitoba location at Winnipeg’s St. Vital Shopping Centre in 2004. Its store network now covers major markets in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Reference material identifies 78 stores as of February 2026, while earlier company figures cited 82 stores in September 2019, indicating that the network has changed over time. The chain serves pharmacy customers as well as shoppers seeking electronics, cosmetics, photo products, appliances, housewares, toys, food, and everyday necessities. London Drugs remains a privately held Western Canadian retailer associated with the H.Y. Louie Group. Its positioning combines accessible pharmacy care with the convenience of a broad, department-store-like assortment. The company’s public profile was affected by a major ransomware incident in 2024, which forced all stores to close temporarily while its critical infrastructure was rebuilt and audited. Urgent pharmacy support continued during the closure, and the company later acknowledged that data had been leaked, although it stated that customer and primary employee data had not initially been compromised.
History
London Drugs was established in 1945 by Sam Bass, who opened a small drugstore at 800 Main Street in Vancouver, British Columbia. The name referred to London, England, and its symbolic connection with the Canadian monarchy. The original business operated as a neighborhood pharmacy, but the chain’s later identity developed through a combination of geographic growth, expanded merchandise, and new in-store services. In 1968, London Drugs was sold to Daylin, Inc. The American owner later encountered financial problems in its United States operations and decided to sell the Canadian chain. The business was acquired in 1976 by the H.Y. Louie Group under the leadership of president Tong Louie. The acquisition placed London Drugs within a long-established Canadian retail group and provided the platform for a major expansion program. Tong Louie expanded London Drugs throughout British Columbia and took the chain outside the province for the first time in 1976, when the company opened its first Edmonton store in Alberta. Over the next ten years, the store count tripled. Expansion was accompanied by a deliberate broadening of the product range. In addition to medicines and pharmacy services, stores began carrying small kitchen appliances, higher-end cosmetics, photography equipment, electronics, and other household and consumer goods. Service development was another major part of the company’s evolution. London Drugs installed its first one-hour photofinishing laboratories in 1981. The service responded to the growing popularity of one-hour photo processing and made photography a visible part of the chain’s retail model. In 1983, the company opened a computer department, helping establish a technology category within a pharmacy-led store format. The chain continued expanding into new Western Canadian markets. In 2004, it opened its first Manitoba location at St. Vital Shopping Centre in Winnipeg. Its regional network subsequently included British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Earlier reference material reported 82 stores in September 2019; a later figure identifies 78 stores as of February 2026, with 50 in British Columbia, 21 in Alberta, five in Saskatchewan, and two in Manitoba. The British Columbia network includes a substantial concentration in the Lower Mainland. Photography remained strategically relevant. In January 2019, London Drugs acquired McBain Camera, an Edmonton-based photography chain. The transaction complemented London Drugs’ existing camera, imaging, and photofinishing activities and reinforced its connection with specialist photography retail. A major operational disruption occurred in 2024. From April 28 through May 7, all London Drugs stores were closed after a ransomware attack against the company’s head-office systems. The company rebuilt and audited critical data infrastructure, while urgent pharmacy needs continued to receive support during the closure. On May 21, the LockBit criminal group claimed responsibility and threatened to release data unless a reported $25 million ransom was paid. London Drugs stated that it would not or could not pay the ransom. On May 23, the company confirmed that data had been leaked and said affected employees would receive identity-theft protection services. The company stated that no customer or primary employee data had initially been compromised, although the later disclosure indicated that some employee-related information had been exposed. London Drugs continues to operate as a privately held retailer within the H.Y. Louie Group. Its modern format combines pharmacy care with general merchandise, technology, photography, cosmetics, appliances, housewares, toys, and limited grocery products. This combination gives the chain a hybrid position between a community pharmacy, electronics retailer, and discount department store, with its principal geographic strength remaining in Western Canada.
- 2024
Ransomware disruption and infrastructure recovery
[1]A ransomware attack led to the temporary closure of all stores. London Drugs rebuilt and audited critical infrastructure and later confirmed that data had been leaked.
- 2019
McBain Camera acquired
[1]London Drugs acquired Edmonton photography retailer McBain Camera.
- 2004
First Manitoba store opened
[1]London Drugs opened its first Manitoba location at St. Vital Shopping Centre in Winnipeg.
- 1983
Computer department introduced
[1]The chain added a computer department, extending its retail offer into consumer technology.
- 1981
First one-hour photofinishing laboratories
[1]London Drugs introduced one-hour photofinishing laboratories in its stores.
- 1976
H.Y. Louie Group acquisition and Alberta expansion
[1]The H.Y. Louie Group acquired London Drugs under Tong Louie’s direction, and the chain opened its first Edmonton store, marking its first expansion beyond British Columbia.
- 1968
Acquisition by Daylin
[1]London Drugs was sold to the American company Daylin, Inc.
- 1945
First London Drugs store opened in Vancouver
[1]Sam Bass founded London Drugs by opening a small drugstore at 800 Main Street in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Products and positioning
A Western Canadian pharmacy-led retailer that combines prescription services with electronics, photography, cosmetics, appliances, housewares, and other general merchandise.
Pharmacy and healthcare · 1945
Pharmacy services
Pharmacy services are the foundation of the London Drugs format. Stores provide prescription-related services, medicines, and other health products. The pharmacy operation also remained available for urgent needs during the chain-wide store closures caused by the 2024 ransomware incident.
Electronics · 1983
Consumer electronics and computers
London Drugs expanded beyond traditional pharmacy retail by introducing a computer department in 1983. Electronics became one of the chain’s principal non-pharmacy categories, complementing household products and providing customers with access to consumer technology through its Western Canadian store network.
Photography
Cameras and photography
Cameras and photography equipment became an important part of the company’s broader retail proposition. The category was supported by in-store photofinishing and later strengthened through the acquisition of McBain Camera, an Edmonton photography chain, in 2019.
Photo services · 1981
One-hour photofinishing
London Drugs introduced one-hour photofinishing laboratories in 1981. The service made rapid photo processing a recognizable feature of the chain and helped establish photography as a core non-pharmacy capability.
Beauty and personal care
Cosmetics and personal care
The chain sells cosmetics and personal-care products, including higher-end cosmetics that became part of the store assortment during its expansion under H.Y. Louie ownership.
General merchandise
Household and general merchandise
London Drugs stores carry a broad selection of general merchandise, including small kitchen appliances, housewares, toys, limited grocery products, and other everyday goods. This assortment gives the retailer a department-store-like role alongside its pharmacy business.
Controversies
2024
London Drugs ransomware and data-leak incident
A ransomware attack caused all London Drugs stores to close temporarily from April 28 to May 7, 2024. LockBit later claimed responsibility and demanded a reported ransom. The company declined to pay, rebuilt and audited critical infrastructure, and subsequently confirmed that hackers had leaked data. London Drugs said affected employees were offered identity-theft protection services.
Brand decisions
2024
Refuse ransom and rebuild critical infrastructureStrategyBackground
A ransomware attack disrupted London Drugs’ head-office systems and forced the temporary closure of all stores.
Action taken
The company stated that it would not pay the attackers, rebuilt and audited critical data infrastructure, and continued urgent pharmacy support during the closures.
Aftermath
Stores reopened on May 7, but the company later confirmed that hackers had leaked data and offered identity-theft protection services to affected employees.
2019
Acquire McBain CameraM&ABackground
London Drugs had long operated camera and photofinishing businesses and sought to strengthen its photography presence.
Action taken
The company acquired Edmonton-based photography chain McBain Camera.
Aftermath
The acquisition reinforced London Drugs’ camera, imaging, and photography-retail capabilities in Alberta.
1976
Expand beyond British ColumbiaStrategyBackground
After the H.Y. Louie Group acquired London Drugs, the company had an opportunity to accelerate growth beyond its original British Columbia base.
Action taken
London Drugs opened its first Edmonton location in Alberta and subsequently expanded across Western Canada.
Aftermath
The chain established a regional presence in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, and its store count tripled during the decade following the expansion.
Recent events
- 2024
London Drugs stores closed following ransomware attack[1]
Other
London Drugs closed all of its stores from April 28 to May 7 after a ransomware attack affected the company’s head-office systems. Critical data infrastructure was rebuilt and audited, while urgent pharmacy care remained available during the closures.
- 2024
LockBit claimed responsibility for the London Drugs ransomware incident[1]
Other
On May 21, the cybercriminal group LockBit claimed responsibility for the attack and demanded a reported $25 million ransom. London Drugs said it was unwilling and unable to pay the attackers.
- 2024
London Drugs confirmed that employee-related data had been leaked[1]
Other
On May 23, London Drugs confirmed that hackers had released data. The company said affected employees were offered identity-theft protection services.
- 2019
London Drugs acquired McBain Camera[1]
M&A
London Drugs acquired Edmonton-based photography retailer McBain Camera, strengthening its presence in cameras and photography-related retail.
Sources4 sources
- 1London Drugsen.wikipedia.org
- 2LOOPShare Announces First Retail Partnership with Distribution of Scoot-E-Bike(R) Through London Drugsfinanznachrichten.de
- 3NEXE Enters Retail Market with XOMA Superfoods Launch at London Drugsprnewswire.com
- 4Nintendo Canada announces Mar10 Day sale for various Switch games, some offers now livegonintendo.com
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