The Mercury Drug Corporation, better known as Mercury Drug, is a Philippine pharmacy chain. A subsidiary of the Mercury Group of Companies, it is headquartered in Bagumbayan, Quezon City. The chain was founded in Santa Cruz, Manila in 1945. He named it after Mercury, the messenger of the gods in Roman mythology, whose caduceus wand is sometimes used as a symbol of medicine, as well as the element of the same name and the closest planet to the Sun in the Solar System. The logo was designed by Alfredo Medinaceli Cabrera. By 1948, the company has established a delivery system. The self-service concept was introduced at that branch, making it today's model for all branches. The company also established 24-hour store schedules in the same year.

As of 2010, the company has an estimated 50 percent share of the local pharmaceutical retail market. By 2012, Mercury Drug Stores have made drive-thru pharmacies.

As of 2017, Mercury Drug has reportedly over 1,000 branches across the country. In the early 2010s, it opened a new building, MDC100, located in Eastwood City, Quezon City.

Urban legends

There are urban legends about why Mercury Drug stores are non-existent inside SM Malls. One story claims that Henry Sy, a businessman selling footwear who established SM Supermalls, was rejected a rental space to sell shoes at Mercury Drug, while also claiming that Sy remembered this and as a result, secured Watsons as the pharmacy in his malls. Furthermore, she said that the two companies could not agree on rental rates, which is the "only reason" why there is no Mercury Drug store in SM malls.

References

  • Official Website
  • Mercury Drug History