Wellesley Square CVS turns out the lights

While it’s hard to get as sentimental about a CVS outlet closing as for a one-of-a-kind shop, the shutdown Saturday night of the CVS at 65 Central St., in Wellesley Square stings on multiple levels—employees’ lives disrupted, inconvenience for college students and others who rely on the store for prescriptions and more, and the emptying of yet another storefront.

CVS confirmed last month that the store would be closing the day after Black Friday. This preceded an announcement by CVS corporate that it would be ditching 900 of its 9,900 stores next year, though plans to reformat some stores.

All of this news had me reminiscing about my wide-eyed review of the Rte. 9 CVS opening in 2014 (See “Opening day at Wellesley’s amazing new family-friendly wonderland”)

Hopefully employees at the Central Street CVS will get to relocate to one of the several other CVSes in Wellesley or nearby. Prescriptions by default head to the newer and roomier CVS down the road at 25 Washington St., though you can call and get them delivered through any other CVS. Locally-owned Andrews Pharmacy is among those that would be happy to pick up your business, too.

I swung by the store on Saturday afternoon, on Small Business Saturday, to pay my last respects to a shop that’s been there since at least the early 1980’s.

My mission beyond that was to pick up a card for new parents of a baby boy in our neighborhood. Alas, I was greeted by this scene in the greeting card aisle. I was actually looking for a blank card, but this was a lot more blank than I had in mind.

I considered making a another purchase, for old time’s sake, and was glad to see CVS was keeping up with Wellesley style by offering “luxury” items like this bathrobe priced at $19.99. A true bargain vs. so many of the other luxury offerings in town.

I took a peek at the Christmas goods, but those of course only get bought the day after Christmas,  and this CVS won’t be around to sell anything then.

I didn’t even have the heart to push the buttons on all the musical Christmas decorations to turn them into a cacophonous farewell to the store. I figured employees were already having a tough enough day.

I was a bit surprised not to find any loud “Sale” or “Everything Must Go!” signs, but I suppose everyone must just go to a neighboring CVS.

As I swung by the pharmacy, an employee behind the plexiglass and a patron grimly bantered about people who come by Sunday or later “being in for a rude awakening” when they find the store shuttered.

Let’s just hope whatever fills the space—or spaces, if the property manager goes that route—is something people can get excited about. The recent coffee shop drought in the square has added to the exit of convenience retailers that bring people to other businesses in the Square. Word that a couple of new restaurants are on the way (Laughing Monk and Lockheart), on the other side of the street, offers reason for optimism.

As for my mission to pick up a card to congratulate our neighbors on their new arrival, at least there are still plenty of options in the Square for that.