Walgreens is an impulse shopper’s dream. Like CVS (formerly Eckerds), they’re far more than a ”drug store”. They understand people will run out of toothpaste, get a sudden craving for chocolate or need a sheet of yellow construction paper even when they don’t have a prescription to be filled. When that happens, the store’s more than happy to help.
At 9 p.m. on a Thursday night, when I’m suddenly in need of this or that, I’d much rather run over to Walgreens than head for a grocery or discount store. For one thing, it’s closer. For another, it reminds me of the variety stores I so loved as a child. As far as I know Walgreens isn’t stocking metal cricket-clickers or wax lips, but their end-caps are straight out of the 1950s.
You can count on the staples being there: chewing gum, Almond Roca, batteries and Chapstick. There will be a few seasonal items – fleece throws in winter, flip-flops and straw hats in summer. Always, there are toys. Before Easter, if you’re lucky, you’ll find a wind-up chicken that clucks and lays jelly bean eggs. Halloween has its creaking crypts, Christmas its stockings and candy. Now and then, you’ll find inexplicable treasures. (more…)
