Whether Eckerd or Rite Aid, let me just say, dear reader, that I have hated the drug store at the corner of Smith Street and President Street since it opened. Sure it is convenient, or so I tell myself on those rare occasions when I walk in. But within minutes, I remember why I avoid shopping there. Either the aisles are blocked by boxes on the floor, or they do not have what I am looking for. Just the other day I was in there to buy a birthday card, but most of them were out of stock, only empty envelopes in their place. I should have walked out of the store then and there, but intead I made do with one of the left over cards.
Waiting in line to pay is yet another rather unpleasant experience at Rite Aid. I have yet to come across a cashier who even attempts to be friendly or professional. The experience always leaves me wondering why I am even giving such a badly run store any of my money. And as I step out onto Smith Street, I mostly make a mental note never to enter it again and to walk the few extra blocks to CVS.
But is CVS on Court any better? I still get lost in the store, which may in all honesty have something to do with the fact that my unconscious still remembers the old lay-out of the Key Food that formerly occupied the space and where I shopped for 20 years of my life before fancier supermarkets came along. This CVS is a dark uninviting store and normally, I go in and out of it as quickly as I can.
Yes, Rite Aid and CVS are convenient, but they can't even come close to the friendly and personalized service of the local pharmacies like Renaissance, which they displaced.
Now of course that is only my opinion. What is yours?
For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking
.JPG)
6 comments:
I miss Carroll Court. They had exemplary customer service and went the extra mile.
I have been in CVS maybe three times since it opened but I go to Eckerd/Rite Aid and I think your assessment is accurate. I recently had a similar birthday experience there.
Gerard is as awesome as always. But most of the other staff leaves something to be desired. At least they got rid of the obnoxious manager who threw people out of the store. And another positive turn is that the cashiers are no longer yapping on cell phones. While waiting in line to pay one of the cashiers was on her cell with a friend and ended the call with a loud, "see you later, beeyatch." They also seemed to no longer the security people that would follow customers around. But yeah, it still sucks.
I agree with you Katia, although I think CVS is the lesser of the two evils, so I shop there more often than Rite Aid. I was mistaken to think that once Eckerd had been taken over by Rite Aid it would improve. The store is sloppy, poorly stocked, and unsupervised, and there never seems to be an adult (i.e., manager) presence (not including the pharmacy). I try to avoid it whenever possible.
And they don't bother to take care of the trees on Smith St or clean up the tree pits. I spoke to the new manager about it when he took over and he said it was on their agenda to address it. They cleaned it up - once.
I was recently thinking that I preferred the used car dealer there - at least then the site had potential.
I guess I find the Rite Aid by President and CVS heaven compared to RiteAid on Warren/Smith....run-down, few windows, solid rolldown window gates, ugly oversized lit sign with many letter burned out and closes early.
It might be worth a try to complain to Corporate, but who knows if the mess comes from the top down.
Every time I go into the Rite Aid on Smith Street I leave in a bad mood. I find CVS has a cleaner store and although the store feels tight I usually find what I am looking for. Plus the CVS cashiers are 100% more professional than Rite Aid. In Rite Aid the cashiers act like you are inconveniencing them when it is their job.
Post a Comment