New Walgreen's on Atwells is open, but

[jencoleslaw]

Yes, you were speechless, it was like a negative reality inversion, I loved it. They also claimed that drug dealers may hide behind bushes. Abso-fvcking-lutely no lie.

[runawayjim]

Oh, and I'm happy they are open, have you seen their ice cream selection!?!?!

[FjmArch]

I am sure they will not, unless pressured by the city to do so. Transparency should mean that. Not a window, that is blocked.

[Cotuit]

The CVS at Mashpee Commons has windows. It will alway boil down to the developer's willingness to spend the $$ and pressure the tenants.

[jencoleslaw]

That would be Cornish, who said have windows or suck it, I'm sure. It is sad that CVS will fall over itself to do what a developer like Cornish wants in a lifestyle center (albeit a nice one, I have some photos from last summer I should post), but can't be bothered in a real city.

[Cotuit]

that's because developers in "real" cities like Providence don't have to make requirements of their tenants, because the city barely makes requirements of the developers.

[runawayjim]

Exactly, the developers of 333 Atwells most certainly could have told Walgreens 'you will have unobstructed windows looking into your store.' And Walgreens likely would have said, 'OK' (after crying about it for a while). Because I have a feeling they really want to be on that section of Atwells, there's nothing in the pipeline soon or existing space on that stretch to house them, and trying for Broadway would have launched an epic battle. But since the city doesn't mandate it, the developer didn't.

And since we're on the topic, can anyone explain to me why a store like Walgreens would be opposed to having unobstructed windows, is it simply a matter of maximizing display space? The pharmacy (I think it was Ekardt) in the mini mall down the street from my house in Astoria New York had unobstructed windows, they used the space for displays, and had the aisles end at the windows. It brought light into the store and made it feel pleasant (as pleasant as a pharmacy can feel) and it lit that end of the plaza well and put eyes on the street, making the whole block feel safer.

[jencoleslaw]

probably because walgreens has a template for their stores and don't like to work outside that template. ever notice how every single walgreens is setup exactly the same? that's my guess. cvs has a few different formats, but i've never been to a walgreens that had a format other than the one.

i wouldn't mind the blocked windows as much if they put something in the display (though what would a pharmacy put in there? vicodin?).

[runawayjim]

of course they don't like to work outside of their template but tough! I don't like to pay taxes, but guess what? Until providence starts actually taking itself seriously as a city that has something to offer both developers AND residents, we'll always get these half-assed developments on the cheap. Why would Walgreens do it better if they don't have to? Would you?

[Cotuit]

I already have vicodin.

[Bil]

And since we're on the topic, can anyone explain to me why a store like Walgreens would be opposed to having unobstructed windows, is it simply a matter of maximizing display space?

[CtownMikey]

why dont we politley ask if we can paint windows on the building?

[runawayjim]

why dont we politley ask if we can paint windows on the building?

[Cotuit]

I always assumed this was a security thing, less chance of some hooligan creating an entryway with just a brick. Has anyone ever heard that too, or did I just make that up?

[brick]

They do it becauase they want the registers along that front wall. They like to keep a wide variety of things behind the registers. First of course the cigarettes, then the OTC drugs that people like to steal, then a whole bunch of random tchotchkes for people to impulse buy. For non-cashier walls, it maximizes the product/s.f. ratio if you have shelves on the outer walls. This is why you have to demand of these places that they not set up their store this way.

[CtownMikey]

I visited North Main and Atwells for the first time today and they were both sparkly clean...

[Liamlunchtray]

I massacred my thumb with a freshly sharpened Henckels chef's knife saturday and my wife was able to procur first aid supplies quickly and easily and pick up a pizza from Gabriels on the way home. Convenient!

[runawayjim]

just thought i'd add that the store is still pretty immaculate inside and they added window displays, which makes the grey walls blocking the windows not look quite as bad. it's not as great as having the windows open completely, but it's a fair compromise.

[Cotuit]

The window displays are terrible though. They should hire some RISD students to do some installations.

[runawayjim]

The window displays are terrible though. They should hire some RISD students to do some installations.

[Cotuit]

i agree... my thought was "what would they display in them? drugs?". it'd be nice if they put some art displays in them.

[eltron]

Not even "art" someone creative could display their merchandise artistically, it could be their thing, the Walgreen with the cool window displays. But I won't be holding my breath, I'll have to be satisfied with the sad beach chair with a bottle of suntan lotion leaning on it.

[matt]

It's too bad they need to put something to display in the windows where there is a perfectly good store to look at on the other side of them. Why not just let people see in?

[runawayjim]

i just remembered something i've been meaning to post. i had gone to my uncle's in shelton, CT for easter and i passed by a walgreens there. it was an older store with what looked like an older configuration inside. i could tell because the windows were huge and not blocked.

[rosie-o]

So...Has anyone transferred a prescription from another chain pharmacy to this new store? How much of a P.I.A. is it? It's definitely on my scooter route...unlike the CVS on Reservoir ave...