Is there demand for 2 pharmacies in downtown Sebastopol?

I've recently moved back to Sebastopol after being gone for about 20 years and have been following the Chase/CVS controversy........While I have my own opinions about all of this, I have not seen anyone address the issue of TWO pharmacies within a block of each other. Rite Aid has been in downtown for many years......They have a parking lot that seems to provide ample parking. I cannot imagine that Sebastopol needs yet another pharmacy right around the corner from Rite Aid. Has this been discussed and explored by the City Council? Is the CVS Pharmacy in the northern part of town relocating to the highways 116/12 intersection? If so, how does this impact people who live on that side of town?

Thanks

and let's not forget that Safeway also has a full pharmacy. And a big parking lot.

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Posted in reply to the post by Berta:

I've recently moved back to Sebastopol after being gone for about 20 years and have been following the Chase/CVS controversy........While I have my own opinions about all of this, I have not seen anyone address the issue of TWO pharmacies within a block of each other. Rite Aid has been in downtown for many years......They have a parking lot that seems to provide ample parking. I cannot imagine that Sebastopol needs yet another pharmacy right around the corner from Rite Aid. Has this been discussed and explored by the City Council? Is the CVS Pharmacy in the northern part of town relocating to the highways 116/12 intersection? If so, how does this impact people who live on that side of town?

Thanks

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Thanks for asking the question! IT NEEDED TO BE ASKED!

There are currently no zoning restrictions that I am aware of to restrict the game of one-upmanship that is occurring here.

It's a corporate game for market share and location. Basically Rite-Aid and CVS are making a bet that if they get prime real estate, that it would be difficult or impossible for a "ground-up" player to thrive.

By having two stores in town, CVS is basically attempting to drive Rite-Aid out of business.... and have more opportunity to take our money out of town too.

It is simply another of the many signs of a very sick system. There are a lot of market openings and closures all over the country in the past 2-3 years. This article tells part of the story: https://seekingalpha.com/article/278...gony-of-defeat

.....Some corporations are way too big and should fail, that includes CVS and RiteAid (look at small profits and increasing debts!). Walgreens is the only one that is still financially healthy at the moment.

In order to truly serve the market a pharmacy is present in, the businesses can and SHOULD be run by local talent and resources. It is far more likely to realize when it is making an a** of itself and abusing the city's financial resources too. Local pharmacies are not saddled with such huge debt and abusive spending. They are less likely to spend money in frivolous ways (such as PACs, attorneys, buying expensive property, etc.)

Capital decisions of CVS, WAG and RAD are made by a bunch of short-sighted pencil pushers that never ran a real business themselves. The only way they get to send their kids to college is to suck it out of corporations and stock markets at any price AND risk.




I really want to see a "PEOPLE'S PHARMACY" and believe Sebastopol can do this and set a great example for the rest of the country. If you have ANY INTEREST in this, can offer talent, resources or contacts, please get in touch with me via direct message.

~Sereniti

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Posted in reply to the post by Berta;156https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/Detail.aspx?id=1349633791:

I've recently moved back to Sebastopol after being gone for about 20 years and have been following the Chase/CVS controversy........While I have my own opinions about all of this, I have not seen anyone address the issue of TWO pharmacies within a block of each other. Rite Aid has been in downtown for many years......They have a parking lot that seems to provide ample parking. I cannot imagine that Sebastopol needs yet another pharmacy right around the corner from Rite Aid. Has this been discussed and explored by the City Council? Is the CVS Pharmacy in the northern part of town relocating to the highways 116/12 intersection? If so, how does this impact people who live on that side of town?

Thanks

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Yes and the reason that Safeway is a threat to CVS is that some of us are already getting groceries from Safeway. They have already captured their customer.... now they will cross-sell anyone in their grasp.

ALL major retailers will do that in one form or another over the coming years... or face the fear of losing profits to the next mega-retailer.

I've done lots of case studies here and overseas.... Mega-retailers cause all kinds of massive systemic issues.... Often in ways the consumer doesn't readily understand.

The French citizens feared mega-corporations LONG before the US citizens ever did. Politicians in France are career politicians; not former peanut farmers, actors, or body-builders. France has highly respected schools for citizens who chose politics specifically as their career. And talking about controversial politics over the diner table was respected and encouraged.... rather than feared out of some odd sense of civility as happens in the US.

Just thought it was worth highlighting that experience because US citizens are going to have to learn to talk about politics and embrace it rather than fear it, due to social norms, if we are going to come together to fix the problems created in our society.

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Posted in reply to the post by gardenmaniac:

and let's not forget that Safeway also has a full pharmacy. And a big parking lot.

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I couldn't agree more, I too have often asked myself why put another pharmacy type store in such close proximity? It makes no sense at all. The parking lot is often empty over at Rite Aid unless it is Farmers Market day or an event is going on downtown. The few times I have gone into Rite Aid there is so few people in there shopping and the shelves look bare, the inventory appears low too. This town is just not big enough for a CVS anyway. What are these morons thinking?

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Posted in reply to the post by Berta:

I've recently moved back to Sebastopol after being gone for about 20 years and have been following the Chase/CVS controversy........While I have my own opinions about all of this, I have not seen anyone address the issue of TWO pharmacies within a block of each other. Rite Aid has been in downtown for many years......They have a parking lot that seems to provide ample parking. I cannot imagine that Sebastopol needs yet another pharmacy right around the corner from Rite Aid. Has this been discussed and explored by the City Council? Is the CVS Pharmacy in the northern part of town relocating to the highways 116/12 intersection? If so, how does this impact people who live on that side of town?

Thanks

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Posted in reply to the post by tammatha:

I couldn't agree more, I too have often asked myself why put another pharmacy type store in such close proximity? It makes no sense at all. The parking lot is often empty over at Rite Aid unless it is Farmers Market day or an event is going on downtown. The few times I have gone into Rite Aid there is so few people in there shopping and the shelves look bare, the inventory appears low too. This town is just not big enough for a CVS anyway. What are these morons thinking?

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If you don't like Chase and CVS the best way to send them packing is to simply not do business with them. If there is enough critical mass in greater Sebastopol to do this, a for profit corporation will not stick around. If, on the other hand, enough people patronize these businesses, then they stay and the presumably legitimate objections of the progressive community round here are moot or irrelevant. Sometimes life is tough....

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Posted in reply to the post by jbox:

If you don't like Chase and CVS the best way to send them packing is to simply not do business with them. If there is enough critical mass in greater Sebastopol to do this, a for profit corporation will not stick around. If, on the other hand, enough people patronize these businesses, then they stay and the presumably legitimate objections of the progressive community round here are moot or irrelevant. Sometimes life is tough....

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While this appears to make sense on the face of this, you have to remember that much of the pharmacy business is not with done with people who choose to do business with them, but rather through corporate contracts with either health plans or hospitals. Some of the project's most virulent critics may find that their prescriptions are being filled by CVS!

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Posted in reply to the post by jbox:

If you don't like Chase and CVS the best way to send them packing is to simply not do business with them. If there is enough critical mass in greater Sebastopol to do this, a for profit corporation will not stick around. If, on the other hand, enough people patronize these businesses, then they stay and the presumably legitimate objections of the progressive community round here are moot or irrelevant. Sometimes life is tough....

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I think it's a good idea to stop shopping at CVS too. Here's a cut and paste from another thread:

Hey Sebastopol Don't $hope at CVS

Please sign the petition to stop shopping at CVS.
When it comes to J P Morgan CHASE and CVS money talks.
Please do not spend your hard earned money at CVS until they withdraw their application to move downtown.

Please help us get the message out. Tell your friends and share this message on Twitter and Facebook.
Thank you!

https://www.change.org/petitions/cvs...-of-sebastopol

Love,
Occupy Sebastopol:heart:

Since CVS already exists in Sebastopol, people that must fill their prescriptions at CVS shouldn't be affected. They can still refuse to shop there, besides getting their prescriptions filled.

The issue seems to be about second CVS that will have a serious affect on traffic. Residents might feel the same way if it was a Walgreen's, RiteAide, or other retailer.

Traffic consideration is a huge issue, and it would be criminal to avoid facing the study that needs to be done.

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Posted in reply to the post by Barry:

While this appears to make sense on the face of this, you have to remember that much of the pharmacy business is not with done with people who choose to do business with them, but rather through corporate contracts with either health plans or hospitals. Some of the project's most virulent critics may find that their prescriptions are being filled by CVS!

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Posted in reply to the post by Shandi:

Since CVS already exists in Sebastopol, people that must fill their prescriptions at CVS shouldn't be affected. They can still refuse to shop there, besides getting their prescriptions filled.

The issue seems to be about second CVS that will have a serious affect on traffic.

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I believe the plan is for the current CVS location to close once the new one is open.

I believe that once CVS moves in, Rite-Aid will lose their market and be forced to close. Then once this very large space becomes available, who else but another big box store will be coming in.......?. Let's face it, Rite Aid is a LARGE space with its' own parking lot......That is one premium lot. Who else but a big chain could afford it? Looks like a great spot for a Staples or a Verizon. And if that other CVS shuts its doors........who knows what will go in.........Fed Ex? No joke, these are the stores that moved into downtown Berkeley as the likes of Cody's Books, closed their doors.

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Posted in reply to the post by Barry:

I believe the plan is for the current CVS location to close once the new one is open.

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