By Roger Gitlin – February 13, 2023 – Picture Credit to Roger Gitlin
Walgreens Crescent City will be permanently closing its store the end of this month.
Despite the news, opportunities at the site abound.
Walgreens announcement from its corporate headquarters in Deerfield, Illinois was general and non-specific in justifying the closure of the Crescent City Store which opened in late December 2008.
Walgreens situated between the 101 at 8th Street. Decades back, the iconic restaurants, Punky’s Hamburgers and McKevy’s drive-in were located at the current location. Walgreens statement reads: “… When faced with the difficult task of closing a location, several factors are taken into account including the dynamics of the local market and changes in the buying habits of patients and customers…patients need not take any action. (Walgreens) automatically sends patients’ files to the nearest Walgreens location.”
The chain has closed an estimated 750 stores in the last three years, nationally.
Commercial real estate broker Kurt Stremberg sees the Walgreens closing as “…one door closes and another door opens.”
Stremberg shared his enthusiasm for an In’n Out food-type business or franchise and cited the 8th and 101 traffic affording unique access for both north and southbound traffic as a decided economic advantage.
The store closes Wednesday, March 1.
Yet another drug store bites the dust. Do we attribute the closing to shoplifting woes?
I heard from another downtown merchant that shoplifting played a major role in the decision to close. But that could be just an excuse in a town with Rite Aid, CVS, Safeway and Walmart as competitors. How many pharmacies does Crescent City need?