The "Rex" in the name was derived from the name of Ellen M. Regis—"Regis" being Latin for "of the king"—who developed "Rexall remedies" and from whom the company purchased the mark.

2873) from the New York Central Railroad hauled the similarly streamlined blue-and-white train of twelve air-conditioned Pullman cars.

The train was the million-dollar brainchild of Louis Liggett, who traveled in an observation car at its rear.

[3] Justin Whitlock Dart, formerly of the Walgreens drugstore chain, took control of Boston-based United Drug Company in 1943.

Rexall gained national exposure through its sponsorship of two famous classic American radio programs of the 1940s and 1950s: Amos and Andy and The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show.

[citation needed] Also in 1958, Rexall employee Joe Coulombe was asked to test the launch of Pronto Markets, a store brand to compete against 7-Eleven.

After running six Pronto Markets in the Los Angeles area, Rexall asked Coulombe to close them down.

These well-financed corporate entities were able to reduce costs with block purchasing, and were focused on growth.

[6] Sundown, a maker of sunscreens, acquired the Rexall trademark in 1985, in a hostile takeover, and continued to produce nutritional supplements and remedies under the new name Rexall-Sundown, with no relationship to the remaining chain of Rexall drugstores, nor to the Canadian maker of medicines and sundries.