Townhall meeting held between Chatham residents, Walgreens officials regarding store closing

A Walgreens store on the city's South Side announced this week it will be closing its doors, and people who rely on it for their prescriptions say they will be in a pharmacy desert.

The location at 87th and Cottage Grove will close its doors on June 4. Walgreens says it was a necessary step after the stores lost over a $1 million last year, and their team members' safety is at risk.

Signs outside of the Cottage Grove Walgreens explicitly warn customers that it is closing in less than a month. It's a big deal, especially for people who depend on this specific store, like Randy Evans.

"You're going to tell me it's not racially motivated? OK? I mean, you didn't close nothing in Andersonville," Evans said.

And Carla Germany.

"I don't drive. Having to go across town to get my medicine will be an inconvenience," Germany said.

"Closing stores are not our goal, it's our last resort," said Reginald Johnson, Walgreens representative.

At a community town hall inside St. Mark's United Methodist Church on Saturday morning, officials from Walgreens sat at the front, while a few dozen people wanted to know why the Cottage Grove location is closing.

Walgreens says theft at the Cottage Grove location is at 16%, four times the company average. Prescription volume fell 30% the last five years, and pharmacy reimbursement rates are 25% below Walgreens' average.

"A lot of the times those lock boxes are getting destroyed, and that's a great cost to the company," said Jason Vasquez, Walgreens representative.

Walgreens says lock boxes and full-time security cost $400,000 a year at the location. Even that doesn't stop customers from jumping over counters to steal liquor, cigarettes, and making threats to team members.

"Just imagine being a cashier, your daughter, your son being a cashier, and witnessing those things," said Lonny Fuqua, Walgreens representative.

To prevent more locations from closing, Walgreens says it will pay for security features and switch guards for tactical security.

"These guards are more experienced and dealt with theft and violence," Johnson said.

But even these reasons are not enough for some neighbors, who now must trek over a mile to get prescriptions.

Customers are being advised to go to other nearby Walgreens locations at 75th and State and 87th and Stony Island. Home deliveries are also an option. 

As for the team members at the Cottage Grove location, Walgreens says they will be placed elsewhere within the company. They said their lease for the location is up in August, and the landlord will determine the future use of the store.