• Drug Store News , Thursday, October 1, 2009 10:31 AM

GNC, which has built its core business by focusing on selling nutritional supplements and weight-loss aids to avid fitness and sports enthusiasts, has unveiled a prototype 3,000-square-foot store at suburban Pittsburgh's Ross Park Mall that transforms the retail brand into more of a health and wellness resource for the entire family and will make it more competitive against pharmacies, Michael Johnsen reports.

The new store offers nearly triple the number of products than existing outlets, expanding into the categories of natural health and healing, probiotics, cleansing, proteins and health and beauty. "This retail concept will grow the GNC brand by expanding our customer base while maintaining loyal core customers," says CEO Joseph Fortunato.

GNC's new store is divided into four individual sections that showcase distinct product categories. The front space provides customers with products and tools to address health, diet and overall well-being. The second space features vitamins, as well as new health and beauty offerings and healing products such as herbals and homeopathic remedies. The back two rooms are designed for GNC's core customer, with expanded product assortments "that take the category beyond the body builder."

Read the whole story at Drug Store News »