1,200 Walgreen's Stores will soon be DEAD TO ME !
Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) announced more store closures Tuesday, as the retail pharmacy giant continues to face pressure from the growth of online prescription delivery platforms and ongoing retail constraints.
Walgreens will close 500 stores next year, toward the end of the year, and reach a total of 1,200 store closings in the next three years, according to company executives on a fourth quarter earnings call today.
The number had not been previously announced, but Walgreens indicated up to 2,000 store closures coming during an earnings call in June. Walgreens stock jumped more than 12% in trading Tuesday on the news — signaling the move was no surprise, and even welcome, to investors.
The company announced fiscal fourth quarter earnings in line with expectations, with a loss per share of $3.48 compared to $0.21 in the same quarter in 2024. Revenues, meanwhile, increased 6% year over year to $37.5 billion.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 48 | October 16, 2024 5:50 PM
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Their prices are too high - not enough sales/discounts. I go to CVS only because of their deals and discounts.
I think Walgreens is a better store than CVS - but they're not competitive.
by Anonymous | reply 2 | October 15, 2024 11:41 PM
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In my area, the Walgreens is better than the CVS. Better prices, etc.
by Anonymous | reply 4 | October 15, 2024 11:49 PM
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I have never been to a Walgreens or a CVS and I don't know why anyone would go.
It's very strange they fill prescriptions but also sell beer and wine and greeting cards.
It seems like a free for all for meth addicts.
by Anonymous | reply 5 | October 15, 2024 11:50 PM
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I only go to Walgreens for flu shots and other shots, not to shop, not for prescriptions. An indie pharmacy near me is so much better than the chain pharmacies. Lower prices, they’ll order stuff they don’t stock, service is friendly and warm, and they’re the insurance whisperers - fix any Rx problem fast.
by Anonymous | reply 6 | October 15, 2024 11:55 PM
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CVS no longer sells cigarettes. Walgreens still sells cigarettes.
by Anonymous | reply 7 | October 15, 2024 11:57 PM
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R2 I find just the opposite. I find them much cheaper than CVS. I find CVS marks way up on their retail prices just so they can issue those 'rewards coupons' and 'sales' on the product - which only brings the price down to the every day price at Walgreens. I've comparison shopped both stores many times this summer, and this is what I found in my area.
[quote[I have never been to a Walgreens or a CVS and I don't know why anyone would go.
Because in my area , they're the only game in town located conveniently. All the independent drug stores I grew up with on every corner in my neighborhood were all pushed out / shut down by CVS before the 2000s. They targeted these locations, bought land close by / across the street and built a mega-store with a drive-thru. The corner drugstores had no choice but to close - they couldn't compete with the brand new CVS across the street. (Walgreens did this as well, but CVS was the one which always was a few steps ahead of the competition). The only way the independent stores profited in the end was selling their prescription customer base to CVS.
Drugstores can't sell liquor in my state, and CVS dropped cigarette sales about a dozen years ago.
by Anonymous | reply 8 | October 15, 2024 11:58 PM
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Years ago, there was a great thread on here about how surly the cashiers were at Duane Reade. Since Walgreens purchased them, are the cashiers still surly?
by Anonymous | reply 9 | October 15, 2024 11:59 PM
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This will be huge blow in the Midwest such as Illinois and Wisconsin. You can find a Walgreens almost on every corner in Milwaukee.
by Anonymous | reply 10 | October 16, 2024 12:00 AM
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CVS and Walgreens over-saturated the market years ago. There are so damn many in my city, it's ridiculous.
by Anonymous | reply 11 | October 16, 2024 12:02 AM
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I remember about twenty years ago, Walgreens bought all the Rite Aids in my state. They promised they wouldn't close any of the Rite Aid Stores - they would be run separately. They kept that promise for about three months.
by Anonymous | reply 12 | October 16, 2024 12:02 AM
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Weren’t Walgreen's pharmacists the ones that reserved the right to withhold medication if it conflicted with their moral values? Boo 👻
by Anonymous | reply 13 | October 16, 2024 12:13 AM
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The CVS stores here are the old school dirty carpet dumps. I get prescriptions filled there and that’s it. You can buy meds much cheaper at Kroger or even Ollie’s. Walgreens, ugh, it’s like being in a hospital with the same bright lighting.
by Anonymous | reply 14 | October 16, 2024 12:17 AM
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This is what happens when you allow shoplifting.
by Anonymous | reply 15 | October 16, 2024 12:17 AM
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Yes, R13, and that's why I stopped going to Walgreens. I switched all my Rx to another pharmacy. (Not CVS; I hate them. I actually like Walgreens much better but made the slight sacrifice not to give them my business anymore.)
by Anonymous | reply 16 | October 16, 2024 12:17 AM
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[quote] I have never been to a Walgreens or a CVS and I don't know why anyone would go.
Where do you go then?
by Anonymous | reply 17 | October 16, 2024 12:18 AM
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[quote]I have never been to a Walgreens or a CVS and I don't know why anyone would go.
...they are often conveniently located at major thoroughfares and intersections
...it is usually easier and quicker to go to them to pick up a few items than to go a grocery store or big box discount retailer
surely you have realized this.
are you autistic or something?
by Anonymous | reply 18 | October 16, 2024 12:21 AM
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[quote] Where do you go then?
where do i go for what?
I'm not dopped up on scripts
by Anonymous | reply 19 | October 16, 2024 12:22 AM
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[quote]CVS and Walgreens over-saturated the market years ago. There are so damn many in my city, it's ridiculous.
This is the problem. I've seen it from both chains. Where my parents live in Denver, there are at least 5 Walgreens within a 10 minute drive.
I lived in AZ and CA, and there was the same thing with CVS.
This doesn't even account for the pharmacies at Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Safeway, etc.
by Anonymous | reply 20 | October 16, 2024 12:22 AM
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CVS is is laughably more expensive for most things.
The only reason to go to CVS is the wide reach of their pharamcy. Your prescription can be sent to a CVS, but you can actually pick it up at any CVS without transferring the prescription - including pickups in different states.
I also was able to get a flu and covid shot in one state while traveling and have it covered by my insurance even though I live in another.
by Anonymous | reply 21 | October 16, 2024 12:25 AM
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[quote] I'm not dopped up on scripts
Oh, dear, and you’ve never been ill?
by Anonymous | reply 22 | October 16, 2024 12:26 AM
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I've had a cold, yes. But I don't need a Value Card from CVS for that
by Anonymous | reply 23 | October 16, 2024 12:29 AM
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I'm truly curious who the fuck on here is arguing that either Walgreens or CVS has "excellent prices." My area has both, and they are ALWAYS higher than Walmart or Costco, often far so. (Also more than my area's main grocery chain, and Target *used* to be cheaper until CVS took over their pharmacy operations.)
The one & only reason I go to CVS is for prescriptions, since they're the same price on my health plan and I definitely prefer their drive-thru than waiting 20 minutes in line.
by Anonymous | reply 24 | October 16, 2024 12:31 AM
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Costco Pharmacy for the win. Their rates aren’t marked up to hell and back like CVS. I use them exclusively because I’ve been without health insurance often enough that Costco drug prices are still reasonable paying out-of-pocket. Prices at CVS/Walgreens are completely outrageous. We’re just paying for their expensive, high-visibility commercial real estate.
by Anonymous | reply 25 | October 16, 2024 12:36 AM
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[quote] I'm truly curious who the fuck on here is arguing that either Walgreens or CVS has "excellent prices." My area has both, and they are ALWAYS higher than Walmart or Costco, often far so.
Costco doesn't sell everything that CVS & Walgreens sell.
I don't buy any rx drugs on a regular basis, so this is not my main point of comparison.
Also: convenience & stress factors. The Costco where I live is almost always crowded. Walmart and Target are further, in distance, and crowded.
The CVS and Walgreens are very close and not crowded. I can pretty much go at any time of the day and be OK.
I'm not retired, yet. So, if I do end up paying more for something at Walgreens, so be it.
by Anonymous | reply 26 | October 16, 2024 12:39 AM
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We actually had a few large, well-stocked, nice Walgreens close to our area. But then they halved themselves to make room for urgent-healthcare offices occupying their other side and dumped half of their inventory in the process. Believe it or not, meanwhile, our local huge Walmart actually has a fantastic pharmacy with attendant doctors and excellent staff/service.
by Anonymous | reply 27 | October 16, 2024 12:40 AM
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I go to an independent pharmacy. Excellent service.
by Anonymous | reply 28 | October 16, 2024 12:52 AM
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The Walgreen family was a hot mess in Lake Forest.
by Anonymous | reply 29 | October 16, 2024 1:00 AM
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In my small beach town we have a Walgreen's across the street from a CVS. All the local geezers go to CVS. Tourists go to Walgreens.
by Anonymous | reply 30 | October 16, 2024 1:13 AM
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^^^I was just about to ask if Walgreen's across the street from CVS at a major intersection is common in parts of the country. In the Dallas area, they do it all the time.
by Anonymous | reply 31 | October 16, 2024 1:45 AM
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Whenever I want to transported back to 1998, I visit one of my local Walgreens. The light is extra fluorescent, the floors appear to be white linoleum tiles and the shelves are hideous industrial metal painted white.
by Anonymous | reply 32 | October 16, 2024 1:56 AM
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R25 — I got my COVID shot today at Sam's Club. Excellent pharmacy, the pharmacist and his assistants are very nice and considerate to their customers. Whenever I go to Walgreens or CVS, it's like being in some kind of scary ghetto hospital. Sketchy as hell with bad service. You don't even have to be a member of Sam's to use their pharmacy. Warehouse club pharmacies for the win.
by Anonymous | reply 33 | October 16, 2024 1:56 AM
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The world will be unbearable with 5 retailers left.
by Anonymous | reply 35 | October 16, 2024 2:01 AM
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It feels like there is a Walgreens on every corner in my city. I can predict at least one closing—I stopped in one the other day that I’ve never been into since I’m rarely in that part of town. The shelves were really bare. I had stopped in for like 3 things, which they didn’t have. They didn’t even have Vaseline ! (No, it wasn’t for THAT) There are busier stores within a few miles in any direction. This one will surely close.
by Anonymous | reply 36 | October 16, 2024 2:49 AM
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R21: Walgreen does the same thing and has been doing longer than CVS.
by Anonymous | reply 37 | October 16, 2024 3:30 AM
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[quote] Whenever I want to transported back to 1998, I visit one of my local Walgreens. The light is extra fluorescent, the floors appear to be white linoleum tiles and the shelves are hideous industrial metal painted white.
I like Target, but it's offensive, also. Cornea-frying lights. Everything is primary-color red. I don't think the layout is that great. The store is kind of bisected and not in a good way.
by Anonymous | reply 38 | October 16, 2024 3:46 AM
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R25, just FYI, are you familiar with GoodRX.com? It's been a godsend for friends of mine who don't have health insurance. It's not as cheap as a copay, but you can get most generics (ones that aren't already $4 at Walmart or something) for under $50 for a month's supply.
R26, Costco obviously sells in bulk, but you can *definitely* find nearly everything at a Walgreens or CVS at the supermarket. Interestingly, I've had the opposite experience as you when I've had to buy something at Walgreens: there is ALWAYS a line, and only a single register open. At Target I can do a self-checkout in under two minutes. (It helps that the store is still nearly new and has a huge number of checkout stations.)
by Anonymous | reply 39 | October 16, 2024 3:53 AM
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[quote] you can *definitely* find nearly everything at a Walgreens or CVS at the supermarket.
R39, yes, probably. However, OTC drugs and some other things are cheaper at Walgreens / CVS.
When I say "crowded," I'm factoring in the parking lot situation. JMO, but the Costco and Target parking lots in my area can be stressful. If I can go to Costco at night, it's still somewhat crowded, but bearable.
by Anonymous | reply 40 | October 16, 2024 4:12 AM
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[quote]I was just about to ask if Walgreen's across the street from CVS at a major intersection is common in parts of the country. In the Dallas area, they do it all the time.
This has always been the strategy for both chains. Same as when Burger King / McDonald's always open up restaurants across the street from one another (or within a quarter mile on the same street). It's all their business strategy.
As for Costco or Sam's Club - none in my region. We just have BJs and there are no 'pharmacies' in our BJs. We just have 'health and beauty aids' sections, but who really needs to buy 12 tubes of toothpaste for $35 when you live alone ? That's when the drugstores come in - you can buy one tube of that same toothpaste for $4 at Walgreens, or for $8 at CVS (but use the 50% off coupon in their app to bring it down the SRP of $4).
by Anonymous | reply 41 | October 16, 2024 12:12 PM
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I stopped jumping through Walgreens and CVS price hoops several years ago. All the coupons, "extra bucks", points and gimmicks are tiresome. I just get my toiletries at Target at their everyday low price. Target frequently has the $5 or $10 gift card when you purchase $25 or some other amount on toiletries which is the only game I'll play at this point.
by Anonymous | reply 42 | October 16, 2024 12:21 PM
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Walgreens isn't as bad as CVS with the complicated promotions, but on the off chance that you actually have an eligible item, CVS is cheaper.
by Anonymous | reply 43 | October 16, 2024 12:27 PM
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way too many Walgreens out there and CVS too. to be profitable.
by Anonymous | reply 44 | October 16, 2024 12:38 PM
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R39. "At Target I can do a self-checkout in under two minutes. (It helps that the store is still nearly new and has a huge number of checkout stations.)"
They removed the self-checkouts at Target in San Francisco a number of months ago. This was done for "asset protection" which Target takes very seriously here. The store is loaded with security personnel and they don't let people just walk out with merchandise any more.
by Anonymous | reply 45 | October 16, 2024 12:51 PM
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" It's all their business strategy."
R41 obviously working well.🤣
by Anonymous | reply 46 | October 16, 2024 2:36 PM
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[quote] who really needs to buy 12 tubes of toothpaste for $35 when you live alone ? That's when the drugstores come in - you can buy one tube of that same toothpaste for $4 at Walgreens, or for $8 at CVS (but use the 50% off coupon in their app to bring it down the SRP of $4).
Why not get 6 tubes of toothpaste in one go? I'm still working (not retired) and this saves me from having to buy one tube of toothpaste at a time. I don't buy my toothpaste from Costco, but I do buy maybe 6 tubes at a time.
by Anonymous | reply 47 | October 16, 2024 4:16 PM
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$4 for toothpaste? I can get them at the Dollar store for $1.25.
by Anonymous | reply 48 | October 16, 2024 5:50 PM
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