Walgreens

The pharmacy dept is awesome! I had to change because of insurance reasons and I’m very satisfied! Store is good too!

When they bought out the previous private and local owner, their prices went up and I mean WAY up. Their prices on wine are at least 30 percent higher than all surrounding stores. When I saw a bottle of Merlot that was almost twice what I pay down the street I laughed and got back into my car. They also completely changed the floor layout — the previous folks had a very homey type of friendly neighborhood store. Since Walgreens took over, the place looks and feels completely sterile and lifeless. Another sad thing is that the card and gift shop is now gone — which we used to use a lot. They eliminated the community bulletin board near the entrance. The B board was where folks could post info about lost pets, items for sale, local services like handy man services for the local neighbors — now that’s all gone too.
Most of the friendly folks who used to work there were either fired or quit, those who stayed got a pay cut even though they had worked at that location some for over a decade of loyal service. We miss them all — I am surprised any of them stayed — I think only two are left there.
I think all Walgreens wanted was the customer list for the pharmacy — because that is where the real money is. And from their exhibortant prices, it is clear to me they don’t really want to keep the store open and eventually I think they will end up merging this store with the store down the street on Telegraph and Wick — because it makes absolutely no sense to have two Walgreen stores a mile apart. Their scrip prices are so high I just go to the big box on Telegraph for my scrips.
All in all, Walgreens has done a TERRIBLE job at maintaining the feel of a neighborhood drug and convienence store — the previous place was truly a neighborhood store — Walgreens ruined all of that — and the fact that the few times I have gone in there the store was practically empty with very few customers compared to the old place is a testament to that. I don’t shop there any more, it’s just not the same. I also don’t shop at any Walgreens any more for that reason.