K&B

K&B

Company type	Private
Industry	Retail (Pharmacy)
Founded	1905 (1905)
Founder	Gustave Katz, Sydney J. Besthoff
Defunct	1997
Fate	Acquired by Rite Aid
Headquarters	New Orleans , United States
Area served	United States Gulf Coast
Products	Pharmacy products, private label household items, liquor brands, ice cream
Parent	Rite Aid (from 1997)

K&B—an abbreviation for Katz & Besthoff—was a drugstore chain based in New Orleans. Established in 1905, it grew to serve the United States Gulf Coast area before being acquired by Rite Aid in 1997.

The company originated when Gustave Katz joined forces with Sydney J. Besthoff at 732 Canal Street, New Orleans in 1905. Throughout the 20th century, K&B steadily expanded its footprint across the region. It became famously associated with its distinctive purple branding; every element within the stores—from signage and cash registers to employee uniforms—featured what came to be known locally as "K&B Purple." This specific shade of purple remains a part of the local vernacular, much like how one might refer to "forest green," residents still identify this hue as "K&B purple."

K&B offered a broad range of private label products, including household items like branded ice chests and garbage cans, all in their signature purple. Their proprietary liquor brands often started with "K&B" or included the YENDIS label (Sidney spelled backwards), and for a period, they even marketed their own beer. While most K&B-branded goods were affordable, unbranded items regarded locally as slightly superior to generic brands, the product line also featured highly popular items such as K&B ice cream. Notably, the unique K&B Creole Cream Cheese ice cream and its memorable "talking ice cream freezer display case" commercials were cherished by local consumers. The company also operated its own credit card program; due to its rigorous approval standards, possessing a K&B credit card was considered a mark of distinction.

The corporate headquarters, known as K&B Plaza, was located at Lee Circle within the New Orleans Central Business District. Constructed in the mid-1960s and originally designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill for John Hancock Insurance Company, the building is distinguished by a raised terrazzo plaza featuring a prominent marble column crowned with a marble crescent fountain called the "Mississippi Fountain," created by artist Isamu Noguchi. In the mid-1970s, K&B acquired this building from John Hancock. Despite K&B’s assets being sold to Rite Aid in 1997, the structure continues to be called K&B Plaza. The Besthoff family retains ownership of office space on the top floor, where family members—including Sydney Besthoff’s daughters Valerie and Jane—manage their extensive real estate ventures. The building also serves as a gallery for portions of Sydney Besthoff’s art collection and is accessible to the public. Additionally, K&B donated their former headquarters and warehouse at 900 Camp Street to become New Orleans’ Contemporary Arts Center during the early 1980s. Following Rite Aid’s rebranding of K&B stores, merchandise from these outlets was sold to benefit local charitable organizations.

Sydney Besthoff III, grandson of one of K&B’s founders, along with his wife Walda, are prominent philanthropists in New Orleans and collectors of high-quality contemporary art. Their collection includes significant sculptures by renowned artists. The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden at the New Orleans Museum of Art in City Park was established through their vision and generous donations.

In 2023, Rite Aid filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Although K&B had ceased operations over two decades earlier, it remained listed in Rite Aid’s bankruptcy documents.

On May 5, 2025, Rite Aid again filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection—the second time within two years—with reported assets and liabilities ranging between $1 billion and $10 billion. As part of this restructuring process, Rite Aid plans to liquidate all assets amid ongoing financial pressures including debt burdens, heightened competition, and inflationary challenges; this includes assets related to K&B.

Bibliography

• K&B: "Only the Best," authored by John S. Epstein, published in 2010.
• K&B Drug Stores, written by John S. Epstein, released in 2011.

External links

• Besthoff Sculpture Garden located in City Park