I'm not going to bury the lede.
Rite Aid on Main Street is closing.
According to an employee we spoke with last night, the pharmacy closes on May 20th and the entire store closes on June 3rd. Walgreens bought Rite Aid and now they've got too many stores...so this one will go.
Why does the closing of a chain store give me such a sinking feeling in my stomach when there are multiple pharmacy options within a mile or two?
Because those options are not within walking distance of downtown.
The presence of Rite Aid on Main Street makes a huge difference to people who live in the downtown neighborhoods, to Wesleyan students, to guests at the hotel...it's not just a store among many. It's an anchor of our walkable downtown - and a key factor in our high walkscore, which measures how close you live to the necessities of modern life (a job, a library, a movie theater, a hospital and other conveniences.) Rite Aid is where downtowners buy a quart of milk, or printer ink, or tylenol after a long city council meeting.
I've had this sinking feeling before. It's the roller coaster of Main Street, Middletown. Back in the late '80s, downtown residents relied on the Waldbaum's Supermarket in Metro Square. When it closed, it was no longer realistic to live downtown without a car. It meant a bus ride to buy groceries (everybody should try that at least once). The loss of a downtown supermarket was one of the early dominoes that fell; and they kept falling till most of the downtown storefronts had emptied out.
Main Street rode the roller coaster back up in the late '90s - and everyone involved knows that it was only by working together (and sweating the small stuff) that we turned things around and made this renaissance happen on Main Street. The opening of this Rite Aid, just 10 years ago, was an important step. We can't afford to take its departure lightly.
We've still got It's Only Natural Market for that quart of milk...open till 8 pm. And Public Market. And a handful of small bodegas in the North End. I intend to keep supporting them.
But the losing the convenience of Rite Aid is a blow to our aspirations of being the new housing destination for urbanist millennials and empty nesters, not to mention the quality of life of all the people who already live here. Our current leadership - and those who are in the running - should be aware that maintaining the infrastructure of downtown living is just as important as announcing big new developments.
With this news - and other turnover in downtown storefronts these days - let's not ignore what we're hearing: we need to pay attention to Main Street.
7 comments:
This is tough news indeed!
All the more reason why everyone should fill out this survey on what we want to see in Middletown:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MiddletownPoCD
This results from this survey will be used as part of the planning process for all kinds of things in Middletown,including economic development, our downtown, etc. Your input matters!
No surprise. Time for rite-sized store(s) to take up the space.
Rite Aid’s part of our neighborhood. We walk there after a visit to the doctor or the hospital for prescriptions, we even walk up to the drive-thru with our dog which helps a lot. We walk there for milk, juice, cereal, soup, frozen dinners, applesauce, yogurt, toothpaste, detergent, first aid supplies, batteries, and more. We love ION and Public Market, but we miss the closer stores—Waldbaums, Peltons, Middlesex Fruitery, and the farmers market on the South Green. Aldi is affordable but not an easy walk for anyone. It’s a challenge to take care of yourself, be independent, and find healthy food options if you have to walk far or take a bus for needed medications or for a fresh apple or cucumber, especially in bad weather. Sad news.
Depending on a corporate owned pharmacy is always going to be a precarious existence. Corporations, by their nature are unstable. They exist to buy, sell, and get bought. This happens regularly. Once that happens, any loyalty (unlikely at best) ends with the sale. The real problem isn't only that, it's that they were allowed to drive locally owned pharmacies out of business in CT. That was a serious breech of medical security for anyone who depends on medications to live from one day to the next. Since the era of "de-emphasized" corporate regulation began in 1980, we are increasingly at their mercy; without regulation they are precarious dinosaurs that rule and terrorize then vanish without trace. Stability is not part of their DNA.
Compare that with the locally owned grocery stores mentioned: It's Only Natural Market, Public Market, Ramirez Spanish American Grocery Store, Aresco's, etc are the ones we can count on. Most of them, or their predecessors, have been here for 40 years or more. A&P and Waldbaum's left. Let's celebrate these locally owned businesses and our local farmers with their CSA's
The Independent Pharmacy Directory, however, lists "no results" near 06457. I could not find anything listed in CT, yet other states seem to have a different situation. Even if there were contenders in CT, they would still be facing an ominous problem. The consolidation of pharmacy providers has made even corporate pharmacies dependent on giants like CVS Caremark and Optum Rx. Caremark is now denying coverage to diabetics for all diabetic prescriptions and supplies UNLESS they purchase them through CVS stores or from the online CVS Caremark. They denied diabetics access to Lantus insulin two years ago, which accounted for 80% of insulin sales in the world. It went off patent and was ALSO the most popular insulin. That should have been a win win. Instead they forced diabetics to buy insulins with shiny new patents. They allow just one brand of blood testing meter. Then they change their mind a year or two later. They are being sued in a class action lawsuit by Keller Rohrbach alleging collusion with manufacturers to inflate insulin prices. KR has a history of winning complex litigation, but that could take years to pan out. This is also stressing doctors' offices. Imagine you are another large competitor and your diabetes business suddenly walks out the door and goes to CVS. Why aren't state attorney generals or the federal trade commission handling this? I asked. I even got a call back from the assistant AG. he didn't see that it was problem.
So, until we get the focus on the real problem we are all in this "pharmacy" frying pan together. In the meantime, we've kept Main Street locally owned, apart from Rite Aid, so we are definitely making the right decisions to protect ourselves in every other way. I am concerned that we lost our last lumber yard. Driving to East Haddam is a tough commute. If we allow our building trades to depend on HD and Lowes we are going down that same road of vulnerability. Their bait was lower prices. Every time we bite that hook we lose local control.
I have assumed this was inevitable ever since Rite Aid was bought out. I see this as a real blow for Main Street and our neighborhood. Yes, I can get much of what I otherwise would at ION and Public Market, but they have their limits. I did not live in Middletown when there was a Waldbaum's, that must have been very handy. Ever since I moved here, I always thought Main Street would be an awesome place for a well run food co-op. Does anyone know if there has ever been any organizing activity for a co-op?
When oh when are we going to get a store like our rite aid back at 10 a main st in Middletown ct?we miss the. So much. We need something just like rite aid again. Too bad they can’t reopen Sunday nice Walgreens just bout them out because it was competition to them. We don’t need another restaurant there. We need a rite aid type store .if they sell meat and produce and fruits as well they will hav a gold mine. Rite aid sold frozen foo as well as food to cook with. We must have a store like this again. Hopefully they will have sales and tak coupons and a point system that turn into money like rite aid did.everyone is hurting here because of the closure. Lease it’s been 2 months too long. Paying for a miracle. They took away our farmers market from the south green too.the convenience for guests at he hotel and veryone in the neighborhood are hurting badly. People moved to this area because of rite aid. They planned on getting their med and shopping there. Come on businesses please. Parking in the back and the front,all convenience wake up businesses there is money to be made as well as helping he community.
Jen Alexander you took the words right out of my mouth. This is exactly the way I still feel. The employees and the store are a big loss. This store was a big mistake hey maker but walgreen did not even bother to think of that. They should have closed the east main st store. With cvs and stop & shop nearby it was foolish to build a store there.their greed bit them on their nose. They will never do what rite aid did. Taking coupons,their sales,everything you bought was 10% or 20% off with your card. The points turned into money quickly that could be used to shop there. .greed comes before common sense and kindness apparently. Thank you Jen Alexander. You tried. God bless you. .no one listens. God help them. Thank you Jen.
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