COMPANY·HISTORIES

Royal Dutch Petroleum Company), controlled about 50 percent of the Canadian tobacco market, and it had a stable of leading cigarette brands including Players and Du Maurier. With the possibility of a decline in tobacco consumption as health warnings began to appear, the company decided to diversify into several different industries. By the time it bought Koffler Stores, Imasco owned a chain of cigar stores, the Hardees restaurant chain in the United States, and a chain of 63 Top Drug Marts. With the merger, the Top Drug Marts were converted to Shoppers Drug Marts, giving the whole chain close to

Companies based in Royal Dutch Petroleum Company), controlled about 50 percent of the Canadian tobacco market, and it had a stable of leading cigarette brands including Players and Du Maurier. With the possibility of a decline in tobacco consumption as health warnings began to appear, the company decided to diversify into several different industries. By the time it bought Koffler Stores, Imasco owned a chain of cigar stores, the Hardees restaurant chain in the United States, and a chain of 63 Top Drug Marts. With the merger, the Top Drug Marts were converted to Shoppers Drug Marts, giving the whole chain close to, and the events that shaped them.

1companies—founding years1still active0no longer operating
§ 01

Royal Dutch Petroleum Company), controlled about 50 percent of the Canadian tobacco market, and it had a stable of leading cigarette brands including Players and Du Maurier. With the possibility of a decline in tobacco consumption as health warnings began to appear, the company decided to diversify into several different industries. By the time it bought Koffler Stores, Imasco owned a chain of cigar stores, the Hardees restaurant chain in the United States, and a chain of 63 Top Drug Marts. With the merger, the Top Drug Marts were converted to Shoppers Drug Marts, giving the whole chain close to companies over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1908
TechnologyThe Ford Model T brings the automobile to the middle class.
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Royal Dutch/Shell Group →
Active · Royal Dutch Petroleum Company), controlled about 50 percent of the Canadian tobacco market, and it had a stable of leading cigarette brands including Players and Du Maurier. With the possibility of a decline in tobacco consumption as health warnings began to appear, the company decided to diversify into several different industries. By the time it bought Koffler Stores, Imasco owned a chain of cigar stores, the Hardees restaurant chain in the United States, and a chain of 63 Top Drug Marts. With the merger, the Top Drug Marts were converted to Shoppers Drug Marts, giving the whole chain close to 400 retail outlets.
David Bloom started his career as a pharmacist at a Shoppers Drug Mart in 1967.
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