Founder Profile
Charles R. Walgreen Sr.
Last reviewed: October 2026 · By Swet Parvadiya
Who is Charles R. Walgreen Sr.?
Charles R. Walgreen Sr. is a founder of Walgreens Boots Alliance, which was founded in 1901.
- Company founded
- Walgreens Boots Alliance
- Founded
- 1901
Background
Pharmacist from Illinois who worked in Chicago drugstores and served in the Spanish-American War before buying his own store.
Founding Story
Charles R. Walgreen Sr. bought the Chicago drugstore where he worked in 1901 and built it into a citywide, then national, chain. His stores emphasized clean, well-stocked layouts, house-made products and soda fountains, and the company listed on the Chicago Stock Exchange in 1927. He led Walgreens until shortly before his death in 1939.