First Maui Walgreens will be in Lahaina

Lahaina will get the first neighbor island Walgreen Co. store, the Illinois-based company said yesterday.

The company will build a new, 15,000-square-foot store on a vacant parcel at Honoapiilani Highway and Keawe Street. The store will employ about 40 people, said company spokes-man Michael Polzin.

Besides more Oahu outlets, the company is scouting more sites on the Valley Isle and other islands, but the Lahaina store was announced first because, "it's really just a matter of which sites become available and get finalized first," he said.

The company expects to break ground early next year and open later in the year.

"It usually takes about four to six months to build a store," said Polzin.

Walgreens' fourth Hawaii store will feature a drive-through pharmacy and products from isle vendors.

Pharmacy services will include prescription labels in any of 14 languages; connectivity to all other Walgreens pharmacies for customers who travel; and 11 flavorings that can be added to liquid medicines for children.

The store also will offer printer cartridge refill service, on-site and Web-based digital photo processing, beauty consultants and Cafe W, a self-serve beverage fountain and food bar.

Walgreens' first Hawaii store, on Oahu at the corner of Kapiolani Boulevard and Keeaumoku Street, is to open next Thursday. The company chose that date so it could focus on holiday merchandising without having to change out Halloween goods, Polzin said.