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CVS has promised a probe after an employee closed the store at 5.01pm – despite a customer waiting for a prescription.
The major US drug store chain was slammed over the weekend for their policy that left a parent “fuming”.
The major US drug store chain was slammed over the weekend for their policy that left a parent “fuming”[/caption]
The customer had been waiting in the drive-thru line to get a prescription for her daughter’s ear infection.
But by the time she reached the window after waiting in line, she was told to come back because the store had closed.
The angry mom posted on X on Saturday: “Was 3rd in the drive-thru line at @cvspharmacy for my daughter’s amoxicillin prescription (ear infection) at 4:50.
“Pull up to the window at 5:01. “Sorry, we’re closed.” Are you freaking kidding me?
“I was the only car left. I am fuming. AND it doesn’t open til 11am. Close the line.”
It is not uncommon for stores to insist on closing when they are supposed to.
For something like a prescription drive-thru, one interaction could last a while, forcing the employee to wait way past 5.00pm.
CVS responded to the post: “Thank you for contacting the CVS Social Media Resolution Team.
“To ensure that the appropriate leadership is made aware of and can address your concerns, would you please send a direct message sharing the CVS location?”
The parent did not respond to this request publicly, although she might have done privately.
Therefore, it is difficult to know how it was resolved.
The US Sun recently reported on a major format change coming to CVS soon.
WLBT reported that the chain is set to open about a dozen smaller format stores in 2025.
These stores are thought to be about half the size of regular CVS ones, and won’t sell things like snacks and makeup.
You will still be able to buy over-the-counter items.
CVS closes 900 stores
CVS Health is finishing up its three-year plan to close 900 stores.
CEO Karen Lynch said it has shut down 851 so far, The Associated Press reported in August 2024.
The company announced the plan in November 2021, saying that the closures would lead to a retail presence that ensures it has the “right kinds of stores in the right locations for consumers and for the business,” per CNN.
The shutdowns amount to almost 10% of CVS’s footprint, in response to the shifting of “consumer buying patterns.”
The closures are part of a wider change in strategy of the company’s almost 10,000 locations.
Some stores have been removed to include more health services, such as primary care, and an “enhanced version” of CVS’s HealthHub layout.
“We remain focused on the competitive advantage provided by our presence in thousands of communities across the country, which complements our rapidly expanding digital presence,” Lynch said in 2021.
The shutdowns cost the company approximately $1 billion dollars in the fourth quarter of 2021, according to CNN.
There are not currently any ideas of what these stores would look like, or what the layout would be.
CVS has been reporting mixed performance recently, announcing both closures and openings.
It announced 1,000 store closures and hundreds of subsequent layoffs.
As of January 20, 2025, CVS has 9,144 pharmacies across the US.
Between 2022 and 2024, the company closed 900 locations.
Despite this, CVS has also confirmed that another 30 new locations, including those inside Target stores, are set to open this year.
For something like a prescription drive-thru, one interaction could last a while, forcing the employee to wait way past 5.00pm[/caption]
