New CVS: Big "wow"

It is unfortuante yes, and I also don't like having a CVS on every other block, but do you have a solution other than boycotting all chain stores?

arturosfan said:
What did everyone do before cvs and Walgreens? seems like we got by just fine. The cvs thing is part of a much larger problem. It's frightening to think that slowly we are turning into a corporation and not a country. Look at Maplewood town center. Empty storefronts. Look anywhere actually. Empty storefronts everywhere. This is because of the cvs mentality. "Since I'm in cvs picking up my gluten allergy medication I might as well pick up some Peanut butter and water and - wow they sell underwear As well!!"

Maplewood town center does not have a lot of empty storefronts. Neither does it have a lot of chain stores.

Freeway, I see I'm pretending to know something I don't! As you say, this could be the pattern for all new stores. Shouldn't make assumptions based on almost no information. Point taken!

As for stores trying to accommodate local needs, the new(ish) Walgreens in Springfield has a small selection of kosher foods, the type you'd find in most NJ supermarkets that serve a small to medium Jewish community. It's the first time I've seen this in Walgreens, and haven't seen it any other chain.

The CVS business model isn't new.

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/one-stop-shop.html

arturosfan said:
What did everyone do before cvs and Walgreens? seems like we got by just fine.

What did we do before the Spinning Jenny and engines?

What did we do before ploughs and sheepdogs

What "everyone" did before CVS and Walgreens, was make five different stops at five different places for five different things... I would much rather make one stop for those five things, and save the time and the gasoline...

mjh said:
Maplewood town center does not have a lot of empty storefronts. Neither does it have a lot of chain stores.

I was thinking the same thing. Where did that comment come from anyway?

Because I need to pick up Doritos when I get my Lipitor refill.

I hate auto refill (cancelled it) but I cannot stop the robo calls (hate them too) "cvs"

oots said:
I hate auto refill (cancelled it) but I cannot stop the robo calls (hate them too) "cvs"

Well, but if you are on a life-altering medication, such as heart medication or my SIL's thyroid pills, you really need to maintain that strict refill schedule. If you miss even a couple of days, it can be dangerous. For those people, the robo calls are literally life savers.

Don't like it? Turn it off, as you did.

ctrzaska said:

Tom_Reingold said:
They have replaced churches.

I read this three times because I liked it so much.

Yeah, it's pretty funny. Credit goes to my wife, not me.

When we lived in Maplewood, I liked Walgreens on Irvington Ave. They had records of my prescriptions, and I could refill them anywhere in the US. That one is open 24 hours, which is a plus. The operation is efficient.

Where we now live, we have a RiteAid, and I don't know if it's systemic, but their pharmacy is not so hot. On my wife's recommendation, I switched to using our mom and pop pharmacy, and it's great. I don't need no stinkin loyalty card. The prices are fine. I can still buy schlock at the RiteAid, and it's open 24 hours. Interestingly, they have in stock some drugs that Walgreens and RiteAid does not. I don't know why, but it's a very good thing. And somehow, I manage without them being open 24 hours. They have a web form to request refills, but I haven't needed it.

Don't even get me started on the loyalty cards. At a local Rite Aid, when I went to buy things my mother needed for her assisted living apartment, NOTHING was available at a normal price if you didn't have the rewards card. All the prices were higher if you weren't part of their program. I will never shop there again.

mjh said:
Maplewood town center does not have a lot of empty storefronts. Neither does it have a lot of chain stores.

Maplewood center of town is like 3 blocks long and there's 3 empty storefronts. That's not good

If no one shopped at these Chains they would not be opening one every 3 blocks. Just like Dunkin donuts. There's one every 5 blocks. Continue shopping there. Let them cntrol what you buy because it's easier than making "a lot of stops"

Ps: back in the day people walked places as well and everyone wasn't 30 lbs overweight because they buy their food at cvs.

We had a local pharmacy in downtown Maplewood and it had to close due to too few customers.

I think this is the case in MV...

one is in legal/tax disputes, not because they can't find a tenant. one other is in city approvals stage to be renovated/expanded, so there is really only one legitimately empty storefront.

CvS has the best rewards program IMO. You can get items like shampoo, mouthwash and toothpaste and sometimes laundry detergent for free if you stack sales/extrabucks/manufacturerscoupons. The walgreens program is like the scoring system on the tv show whos line is it anyway, the points don't matter and no one's keeping score. Buy a 20oz pepsi? Thats 50,000 points! Buy everything in the sales flyer? Thats 12 points! Want to redeem your points for cash? Oh I'm sorry you didn't buy the golden sproket or have 1.8 million points to redeem! Oh well better luck next time.

That's Numberwang!

The thing I like about CVS is that I can refill my prescriptions at any CVS anywhere in the country. I don't even need to have the bottle, although that speeds things up. All of my information is in their computer, and I can get my medication here or in any other CVS anywhere. You can't do that with independent pharmacies.

arturosfan said:

mjh said:
Maplewood town center does not have a lot of empty storefronts. Neither does it have a lot of chain stores.

Maplewood center of town is like 3 blocks long and there's 3 empty storefronts. That's not good

3 empty store fronts is hardly an issue. I don't think anyone walks through Maplewood Village and says "Look at all of these empty store fronts." If anything, Maplewood has proven that you can have a thriving downtown despite the influx of online shopping and chain stores.

JCSO said:
That's Numberwang!

You are today's champion!

the only places that thrive in downtown are food based or boutiques. in 3 blocks there are three pizza places and three nail salons. why? its insane! im sure if someone opened another pizza and nail place it would do well. everything else struggles because why go to the toy store in town when you can get your legos for $1 cheaper at target AND get paper towels and some gross old fruit? as long as we support the targets of the world they will be able to undercut the little guy and the quaint town we all love will die out.

even if its one empty storefront.. its three blocks in a supposedly "in demand" neighborhood... AND they've been all empty for over a year at least. if the trends continue there will be more empty storefronts because of the super high rents mixed with the Target, Home Depot, Wal Mart , CVS that litter our landscape in tacky strip malls. where is there more foot traffic? in the strip mall or the center of town? even on a busy friday night you will find the hordes at the big boxes waddling through the aisles of Target killing their own communities by buying stuff they dont need that is made by children in China.

http://jezebel.com/5901634/big-box-stores-are-ruining-everything-and-filling-us-all-with-hate

also the prices at these big boxes are going to get even lower once amazon gets their same day delivery model set up. then we will never have to leave the house!!!!!

arturosfan said:
also the prices at these big boxes are going to get even lower once amazon gets their same day delivery model set up. then we will never have to leave the house!!!!!

Do you have a solution or should we all come together and fret about this.

I shop in the Village when I have reason to. However, my alcohol consumption is not going to make the Village Wine Shop rich and I no longer have much need to buy toys at the toy store.

Don't worry. I've got your back, bud.

tjohn said:

However, my alcohol consumption is not going to make the Village Wine Shop rich

ridski said:
Don't worry. I've got your back, bud.

tjohn said:

However, my alcohol consumption is not going to make the Village Wine Shop rich

Well, it does take a village.

Amazon doesnt get my business. Over 60% of my prime orders were late or misditected. They can go pound sand.

arturosfan said:
What did everyone do before cvs and Walgreens? seems like we got by just fine. The cvs thing is part of a much larger problem. It's frightening to think that slowly we are turning into a corporation and not a country. Look at Maplewood town center. Empty storefronts. Look anywhere actually. Empty storefronts everywhere. This is because of the cvs mentality. "Since I'm in cvs picking up my gluten allergy medication I might as well pick up some Peanut butter and water and - wow they sell underwear As well!!"

Except I'd never pick up peanut butter or underwear at CVS, as they're likely wildly overpriced. And I'd never buy water.

Honest question: how many downtown Maplewood storefronts are empty now? 1 or 2 on Highland? Are there others? As it is, that level of vacancy seems pretty normal to me.

arturosfan said:
the only places that thrive in downtown are food based or boutiques. in 3 blocks there are three pizza places and three nail salons.

And a bookstore and a thriving (in spite of your opinion) toy store and a jewelry store and a grocery store and a movie theater and a stationary store and a liquor store and two performing arts venues and a dance studio and a recording studio and by the way what is wrong with food? Your *****ing username is a restaurant.

Your fantasy may not be fulfilled by the village, but your impression of the village is only your fantasy of what it would need to be to justify your predjudice.