BOSTON — A local Walgreens is shutting its doors for good. The pharmacy closure in Roxbury on Warren Street is the latest in low-income communities in Boston, after stores in Hyde Park and Mattapan recently closed their doors.
Many lawmakers have spoken out against this closure, including Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, who stood along protestors in front of the store, asking Walgreens not to close it. Despite their efforts, this pharmacy is closing for good today.
The Warren Street Walgreens is the fourth Boston Walgreens to close in a little more than a year. The pharmacy chain announced about 200 in total will close nationally this year.
Several protests were held outside, asking Walgreens to keep this location’s doors open. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley represents this district and she spoke on the house floor—addressing her concerns about shutting down a pharmacy in another low-income neighborhood.
“When a Walgreens leaves a neighborhood they disrupt the entire community and they take with them baby formula, diapers, asthma inhalers, life-saving medications, and of course jobs,” said U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley, who represents District 7. “These closures are not arbitrary and they are not innocent. They are threatening life acts of racial and economic discrimination.”
To help ease the transition, Walgreens will automatically transfer patient files and prescriptions to the Walgreens on Columbus Ave, which is about a mile away.
It is offering free same-day delivery of prescriptions for 90 days. For non-pharmacy items, the store said it would do free same-day delivery for 90 days and waive the $35 minimum.
Walgreens says there are several factors taken into account when closing a store—including dynamics of the local market and changing in buying habits of patients and customers.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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