Longs Drugs Changing Into CVS

[Alpha8472]

The signs are different than the previous CVS signs. CVS signs used to have photos. The Pharmacy sign over a blue wall is just like what is present at the Las Vegas CVS prototype store.

[storewanderer]

I did not take a picture, but there was a new CVS-format sign for "Sporting Goods." Maybe this department will just remain in some stores, I can see keeping it in San Anselmo since I guess there is some outdoor stuff if you drive out Sir Francis Drake plus there isn't a lot of general merchandise type stores within 5 miles of there.

Also, in the resets to the food department, the Walnut Grove branded items remained, and the gourmet food remained, but it seemed to be scattered into the general food mix rather than on the silver shelves in a center aisle.

Also most of the Rite Aids I went into installed silver shelves for gourmet food (San Mateo, Novato, Pacifica-highway, etc.)

[Alpha8472]

I have heard from employees at Longs that part time employees have had their hours cut. They have gone down from 30 hours part time to 9 hours.

I went into a very quiet Longs Pharmacy in Walnut Creek several months ago and most of the employees were just hanging out doing nothing. Longs used to have an abundance of employees. Now things have changed.

On June 5, the Longs corporate office in Walnut Creek closed. The Concord Longs Drugs near Concord Bart is currently undergoing an exterior remodel. They are adding a drive-thru window to the side of the building.

[Alpha8472]

I went into a 24 hour CVS (formerly Longs Drugs) in Walnut Creek on Bancroft Road close to midnight. The signs in front of the store had been changed to CVS. Workers were installing gray carpet tiles over the existing floors. All they had to do was paint on some green adhesive and put the carpet down. They had also installed some new shelves that were lower than what Longs used to use. There were still a few shelves of gourmet food items, but it seemed to be slightly less than what Longs used to carry. The natural products section was nearly empty. It seems like CVS is just selling whatever they have left. They probably will discontinue selling natural products. The new red and gray CVS aisle signs were up. They are three sided. I also saw the new department signs which CVS has put up. I scanned my CVS keychain Extra Care card at a coupon machine and received a ton of coupons. Later at the register, my receipt came with even more coupons attached. It truly was coupon overload. There were quite a few employees stocking the shelves and the store also had a security guard. I'm not sure if Longs used to pay for a security guard, because it was the first time I had visited late at night.

[storewanderer]

More on CVS/Longs conversions from some assistant managers. http://messages.finance.yahoo.com/Stock ... of=5&frt=2

[Alpha8472]

I did notice that there were several shelves of items at my local CVS that had tons of reduced price items. They looked like they had way too much of some items and needed to get rid of it fast. It seems like they have been ordering too much stuff.

Why do they have such such an overstock of items? Does it have something to do with the lower CVS shelves that can't hold as much as the shelves that Longs used to use?

[Alpha8472]

The flagship Longs Drugs in downtown Walnut Creek, California has been transformed into a CVS Pharmacy. CVS mailed customers a coupon book announcing the grand opening.

If anything, customers have been lost. The stores are no longer as bustling as before. Selection has been somewhat reduced and there are fewer employees. The salads are gone, but there is still a small selection of produce. The in store medical testing lab has been closed.

A new Chase atm has been installed. They never had an atm before. CVS stores in Southern California have had Washington Mutual atms for quite a while. The newly rebranded CVS stores now have Chase atms since WaMu was rebranded to Chase back in March.

I just don't feel a need to go to the store and browse anymore. The store has lost its character.

[storewanderer]

I drove by a store Longs built in Sparks tonight. Longs signs are gone and For Lease banners are up. This store never opened but did get some shelves and wall paint.

To recap the current state of CVS in Reno/Sparks in regards to vacant stores they are attempting to sublease:

Sparks Prater/Sparks Blvs (former Rite Aid)
Sparks Prater/McCarran (late 70s Payless taken by Longs in early 80s, remodeled around 2006)
Sparks Vista/Galleria (2005 or so Longs build)
Sparks Wingfield Springs/Vista (built by Longs 2008, never opened)
Reno Plumb/Kietzke (late 70s Payless taken by Longs in early 80s)
Reno Sierra/2nd St (fully shelved and fixtured, tarps over Longs signs out front, never opened; in ground floor of a closed casino)

[krogerclerk]

CVS insists there was little overlap with Long's due to Long's strong presence in NorCal, while CVS was stronger in SoCal due to the Sav-on Drug merger, but I don't think CVS is really doing a good job in retaining the customers of either chain. While Osco/Sav-on Drugs were closer to the format that CVS uses, Longs was closer to a variety store/discount store with a pharamacy and CVS has never embraced that business model. They were quick to eliminate the Drug World/Drug 4 Less format they obtained with the REVCO merger and replaced them with more conventional drugstores in REVCO's core Southern and Midwestern markets.

Recasting Longs into the CVS mold will alienate a lot of Longs customers and result in a lot of store closings.

[Alpha8472]

I am certain their will be store closures coming up for CVS. Some of the big Longs Drugs stores in the Bay Area are way too big for CVS. They will eventually close.

In Southern California, there are some Longs Drugs stores that were practically across the street from CVS stores. For now, it seems like both stores are being kept, but eventually when the business goes down CVS will close one of them.

Many people are already leaving the former Longs Drugs stores for cheaper pharmacies such as Walmart, Target, or Costco. There simply is no reason to go to CVS when you can get cheaper drugs elsewhere. Even the pharmacies in supermarkets will price match if you talk to them. Most people go to a supermarket on a regular basis, so supermarket pharmacies are much more convenient. The service is often much faster too.