I did this in the late 60's  lets just say you go into major debt and
become a slave to your wholesaler and local bank... PLUS your
landlord, the utility company, and telephone company plus your
accountant plus plus plus plus....Cost of front end merchanidise
exceeded the cost of Prescription drugs ...   At least the "markup" on
front end merchandise and Rx drugs were both close...today IF I were
not retired and had to open a Pharmacy I would hope to "sell" 80
percent front merchandise and 20 percent Rx drugs... Margins on Rx
drugs just is not there anymore due to insurance companies...  

Today IF I had it to do all over again under the same set of
circumstances I would do ti...BUT under todays circumstances I doubt
if I could have pulled it off...  Chains were honestly not much of a
worry as far as price competition years ago.

Oh ...the absolute biggest problem was meeting a weekly payroll
...many a week I had to forgo my own "pay" in order  to pay
my "help"...  2nd biggest problem was finding a Barber who would
cut my hair after 10 PM and my store was closed... LOL

Bob G.