(Editor: Wallyhood welcomes Adam as a new contributor. Thanks for the first article! )
Is local favorite Bartell Drugs surviving the CVS juggernaut?
CVS opened its doors in late December, 2015 (2100 N 45th St). One of Wallyhood’s most popular articles compared three of the four pharmacies in the neighborhood. Fully 61% of respondents to an (unscientific) poll at the end of the article said they plan to “boycott CVS, alien invader and homogenizer of our fair neighborhood.”
I recently stopped into CVS and asked about business. An employee who’s worked there since the opening told me that they got off to a slow start but business is picking up as word gets out. As a side note, I was not overly impressed. CVS is well stocked with everything you might expect. However, it looks and feels just like any other of their 9,600+ other locations. It is devoid of any local character. The only local product that I could find was a six pack of beer from Fremont Brewery. No Theo Chocolate. No Seattle Chocolates. No SeaBear smoked salmon. No Seahawks/Mariners/Sounders kitsch. No postcard with lightening striking the Space Needle. No Chia Pet shaped like the Fremont Troll. Oh, and no tobacco.
How is Bartell Drugs(1820 N 45th St) faring against their new mega-corporate competition? I requested comment from the corporate office and here is the email response I received from Ric Brewer, Senior Communications Manager:
“Bartell Drugs has been a mainstay in Seattle for more than 125 years. We appreciate the long-standing support of the Wallingford community and know that its residents value the local aspects and personalized customer service that Bartell’s is able to offer.
The recent entry of CVS into the retail realm in Wallingford, while certainly a concern, has not had a dramatic effect on our operations. This is due to the simple fact that our Wallingford neighbors understand the many benefits that a locally run and family-owned drugstore provides the community. While we carry many similar items as our competitors, we are fortunate to be able to highlight the many wonderful locally made items unique to our region. This creates unparalleled support for local business and attention to our guests’ needs and values—qualities that we know are mirrored by Wallingford residents, and linked to the unique character that each neighborhood brings to making Seattle a special place.”
In a follow-up reply, Ric Brewer also wrote:
“We have many employees that have worked for us for 15, 25 or even 35 or more years and customers who have been with us even longer, so these relationships are very important to us. We value the unique environments our neighborhoods give Seattle and we feel having locally owned and run businesses help contribute to this.”
On recent trips to Bartell Drugs I asked several employees how things are going since CVS opened. Every employee I spoke to told me that they are hanging in there, notice little difference, and continue to serve their regular customers. One employee told me that Wallingford is their favorite Bartell Drug location to work at because of the location’s family-oriented, neighborhood feel. One cashier did express concern that less new customers or folks from outside the neighborhood are stopping in. A pharmacist said they definitely notice a difference but declined to elaborate. This might indicate a difference in impact between the retail and pharmacy operations. Overall, it sounds like the 61% of you who planned to boycott of CVS are making good and continue to shop at Bartell Drugs.
In what appears to be a direct response to CVS and Walgreens, Bartell Drugs is currently advertising price matching. Have any of you tried this offer? You have to understand the 340B program first which you can when you read the article at ProxsysRx.
Going forward, Bartell Drugs needs to differentiate itself from CVS even more. They will need to make regular customers out of the new neighborhood residents and even those who are just passing through. I don’t think they can rely on just the original neighborhood support.
Wallingford is growing so fast. The Wallingford of 5 years ago would not have been able to support 4 pharmacies on the same street within one-half mile of each other. The Wallingford of today and 5 years from now? Perhaps there is room for everyone. Just don’t tell me that RiteAid is planning on opening a store in the neighborhood.
I think Bartell is very wise to feature local Washington products. I must say though that I do most my shopping at Fred Meyer because I try to get all my shopping done only once a week. Friends who moved away said they miss Fred Meyer’s, Taco Time and Dick’s the most of no longer living in Washington. I guess some states don’t have them. I used to go to Target a lot up at Northgate but found that Fred Meyer carries 90% of what I want and Bartell and QFC the rest.
I love Bartell Drug. I know the employees, the pharmacists, and more significantly It began as a local business. I always try to patronize independent businesses, rather than chains. have vowed to never go in CVS, and never will. I hope “corporate”decides to abandon this location, but the organization is so big, I imagine they can assimilate one loser. I chosen not to go to Walgree’s for the same reason.
As edwins, mentioned, now and then I go to Fed Meyer in Ballard. But most of my business is at Bartell Drug. I go to Stoneway Hardware and Tweedy and Popp rather than Home Depot, etc.
I’m a regular, though not big, Wallingford Bartells customer and value their local ownership. Couple of times I walked through CVS there were zero customers; everyone I talk to is avoiding them – including me.
Having been a regular CVS shopper when I lived in Chicago, I was kind of excited to see them opening a store here because CVS was my go-to store when I lived there. But this CVS is awful. I went there to get a free candy bar from the coupons they sent out – and they actually had a deal on the candy bars so we ended up with 2 for like $.50. I figured, since I was there, I might as well do some shopping as I needed some stuff for my kids. Their baby section sucks. Very limited product choices, nowhere near as many options as Bartells, and only big name brands. I feel like they didn’t research the neighborhood customer base at all. Also, I hate that the street/corner entrance has stairs and you have to walk down Meridian toward the parking lot door if you want accessible entry (I had my stroller at the time). Even their snack food/grocery items were lacking.
I’ll keep going to CVS to use their coupons for free stuff, but Bartell’s is my pharmacy and go-to neighborhood store for baby products. Although I mostly shop at Fred Meyer or Target.
Great piece. Thanks for writing. Sure would be great if Bartell’s could arrange for some 15 minute parking on the street adjacent.
Bartell’s for life. I think I’ll go patronize them today!
Bartell’s is a *neighborhood* store — i.e., they work at it. A lot of the (great) employees have been working there for years, so it’s nice to go in and see familiar faces. And when we’ve made a request to stock a particular product (or more frequently, re-stock something that’s been dropped), they’ve worked to do it for us.
Finally, as Adam points out, lots of local products — which really gives it the feel of a “Seattle store”. (Which they are, having been in business here since 1890. (!!) )
We shop PCC for most of our groceries, but almost everything else we get from Bartells (with a few remaining items at QFC.) Really like the people. No way are we shopping at CVS or (ugh) Walgreens.
(Thanks for the research, Adam!)
The broad smile on her face told me even more than her words when i asked a Wallinford Bartell’s staff person how business is doing since the opening of CVS. Their loyal customers are continuing to shop there.
I value the experience of shopping at the Wallingford Bartell’s where i see and connect with a familiar staff of employees who appear to enjoy working there. The atmosphere is friendly and unhurried even as the staff are alert and efficient in busy times.
I appreciate that Bartell’s carries health-oriented and non-toxic products. Even though the store is not large, i can find almost everything there i need and go to PCC for the rest.
FYI, there used to be a RiteAid on 45 where the stationary store is now.
.. and before that a Royal Fork Buffet restaurant. I was a pot scrubber there in Junior High days – late ’60s.
Must have been there into the mid ’70s, I’m pretty sure I remember that. Do you remember a Stone Drug at 45th & Stone, little place with a corner entrance? I don’t think I”m making that up, but … the ’70s, it’s all a little hazy.
Remember Weird Harold’s Bounty? It was on 45th and Stone Way.
Before/after Royal Fork Buffet, that building at some point was a Pay n Save, and before that it was a Safeway training facility, and maybe, in the far fuzzy past, an A & P, not sure about the A& P, it was before my time.