Boots The Chemist has unveiled a new-look refurbished store in Cardonald as part of a £5 million programme of investment across Scotland designed to ‘enhance the shopping environment and improve services in community chemist stores’.

The Cardonald store, which first opened 70 years ago, now has a new consultation room allowing customers to have private discussions with a pharmacist, as well as new external branding, new signage, shelving and flooring. 

A total of 49 community stores in Scotland have been refurbished as part of the ‘Operation Heartbeat’ project, with work expected to be complete by the end of 2007.

Paul Mitchell, Boots’ Scotland Manager, said, ‘Stores such as the one in Cardonald provide many essential services for hundreds of people every day, whether it be prescriptions and essential medicines, expert advice, day-to-day toiletries, their favourite beauty products or just a friendly face. We chose the name ‘Heartbeat’ because of the location of the stores in the heart of the community and the life they often give these declining streets, where other stores may have been abandoned for out of town retail parks. We hope our investment in the Cardonald store will benefit new and existing customers in the area for years to come.’

Visiting the store were local resident Henry Barton, a regular customer and Cardonald resident for 36 years, and Pollok MSP Johann Lamont.

Johann Lamont MSP said, ‘I am delighted that Boots has chosen to invest in providing a high quality service in the Cardonald area – an investment which benefits the people of Cardonald. Boots’ commitment will also help sustain Cardonald as an excellent shopping area for the local community.’

The store also gave away free No7 products and complimentary eye and lip makeovers to celebrate the re-launch.