By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
There is a flurry of activity in the Jefferson Square parking lot today, with containers being unloaded ahead of the reopening of the former Bartell Drugs as a CVS Pharmacy store tomorrow.
The store is closed today, as dozens of workers tote up inventory, bring in display cases, and change over the computer systems. Assistant Manager Ryan tells WSB all of the staff is continuing to work in the store, including the pharmacists. As we previously reported, prescriptions that have been handled by Bartells will be moved to CVS automatically. The store will also start to accept the CVS reward card, though Ryan said depending on how the system switchover goes, that may not happen on day one.
What may take a little longer is all the training that staff will need, and Ryan asked customers for patience. “We’ll be relearning a lot of stuff,” he says, and having the help of CVS managers for the first few weeks. At the end of that time, he also expects more inventory to start arriving. “When we get more product, we’ll be busier,” which means more options for customers. “Working with more products is nice for everyone.”
He’s expecting more variety and more seasonal items, but it’s unclear how much the Bartell and CVS inventories will overlaps. Ryan did say that after they reopen tomorrow, selected items will be on sale, as much as 75 percent off.
CVS at Jefferson Square will be open tomorrow starting at 9 am and follow the same open hours as Bartells did.
The Admiral Bartell Drugs store is scheduled for a similar transition next week, as we first reported two months ago. Staff there tells WSB today that the store will close at noon Tuesday (September 2) and will reopen Wednesday (September 3) as CVS. Part of one aisle has selected Rite Aid-branded items at a 90 percent discount right now.
We’re told the Admiral staff is staying on, too. This will be the third and final West Seattle drugstore taken over by CVS as a result of the Rite Aid bankruptcy; the Westwood Village Rite Aid was not acquired, and closed permanently earlier this week.
