Hi-School Pharmacy
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Pharmacy, Hardware retail |
| Founded | 1925 in Vancouver, Washington, United States |
| Founder | Edith and Ira Nelson |
| Headquarters | Vancouver , United States |
Area served | Oregon, Washington |
Key people | Steve and Jan Oliva (owners from 1967) |
| Products | Pharmacy services, hardware goods |
Number of employees | 650 (2003) |
Hi-School Pharmacy Inc. operates as a combined network of drugstores and hardware outlets, with its main office located in Vancouver, Washington. The company maintains 26 stores throughout the Pacific Northwest, specifically within the states of Oregon and Washington. Prior to being acquired by Walgreens in 2003, Hi-School Pharmacy was one of the region's largest pharmacy chains, managing a total of 42 locations.
History
The enterprise originated as a hardware store established by Edith and Ira Nelson near Vancouver High School. In 1939, ownership transferred to Ken and Matt Zapp, who introduced pharmacy services and rebranded the business as Hi-School Pharmacy. The store later expanded into an adjoining building that had previously housed a Safeway and was purchased by Val Mowan in 1948.
In 1967, Steve and Jan Oliva took over Hi-School Pharmacy and enlarged the primary store to . The chain launched its second branch in 1971 and grew to encompass 11 stores within ten years. Remaining privately owned throughout the 1990s, Hi-School had expanded to 37 outlets employing approximately 650 staff members by 2003. At its height, the company operated 42 locations across California, Oregon, and Washington, with hardware sections co-branded under True Value.
In August 2003, Walgreens acquired all 11 Hi-School stores located in Clark County through a non-compete arrangement. The Oliva family kept space at the original site for a Hi-School Ace Hardware store. Following the expiration of the non-compete clause, Hi-School returned to Vancouver in 2015 with a combined pharmacy and hardware location, which ultimately closed in 2024. Currently, three Ace Hardware stores remain as the company's footprint in Clark County.