CVS Pharmacy in San Francisco Outer Sunset District closing in mid-May
SAN FRANCISCO — CVS Health said it'll be closing the CVS Pharmacy on the corner of 19th and Ortega on May 15.
Madison Gaynor lives just a few blocks away and said the store is just the most recent loss.
"The Walgreens just closed on Noriega and this one is closing, a bunch of small businesses are closing," said Gaynor.
Gaynor and her 4-year-old son walked to the location. She was picking up prescriptions while he looked at the toys, but it would be one of their last trips as she figures out what to do next.
"They have been offering to transfer us and tell us where to go," said Gaynor about how the pharmacists are dealing with the situation. "Walgreens, not their fault, but they didn't offer that service at all. It was just 'We're closing'.I think they did suggest another location, which was so inundated with people that you couldn't get your prescription."
CVS said in a statement that if people don't transfer their prescriptions, it will automatically transfer to the 701 Portola Drive location to ensure uninterrupted access.
"Maintaining access to pharmacy services in the communities we serve is an important factor we consider when making store closure decisions," said CVS Health in a statement. "Other factors include local market dynamics, population shifts, a community's store density."
But Gaynor believes theft is playing a part too. She said all the locked cases popped up after COVID.
"They were all very nice to me, but the first day I came in here after all this stuff was set up, they very kindly offered to hold all of my stuff in the front," said Gaynor about how things changed once the locked cases were put in. "It was hard to pick out who's going to steal and who isn't."
Juliana Neves stopped by the store because she heard it's closing on the NextDoor app.
"I think it's a reflection of people buying everything online and have everything delivered because I'm pretty sure pharmacies deliver too," said Neves.
Gaynor doesn't plan to use delivery. She'll just have to travel farther. The Portola Drive location is about two miles away.
"We're all going to be in our cars more, parking, trying to find more parking," said Gaynor.
She's also worried about her neighborhood and what's going to happen as more businesses continue to leave.
"One of the things that concerns us is all these empty storefronts, too. It's a lot of empty buildings suddenly in just a very short period of time, and so much square footage, who's going to come in here," she questioned.
Gaynor said she is trying to stay positive about what could happen next. She thinks the location would make a good grocery store.
