Walgreens

Well I only live two blocks from this Walgreens I was the first person that got in Walgreens when they opened up. I come here often I come here daily I deserve I had never had a chance to write a review so I’m writing one right now. It’s clean it’s good to service is awesome and the best part of love you get to see all clearance items weekly well that’s a plus in my book.

See? All you downtowners who gave this Walgreens 5 stars when it first opened acted way too quickly. Compared to Rite Aid across the street, Walgreens was a breath of fresh air (literally, the air was cleaner in Walgreens). But now that Walgreens has been open a while, you are seeing the same nonsense that plagues Rite-​Aid.
1. I see three. They make that announcement whenever 3 customers are waiting in line. At first, a dozen Walgreens employees sprinted to the front to man the cash registers and check us out faster. Now, they take their time, if someone comes at all. And they are late to announce «I see 3.» Do not wait until you see 7 people in line to say «I see 3.» The lines are painfully slow.
2. The registers. They make me click NO to their charities with every transaction. Then they ask if I’m a Walgreen card member. Then they try to sell me a bag. Just ring up my order, let me swipe, and leave. Simple.
3. The bums. I know this is not a p.c. thing to say, but Walgreens needs to stop treating the crackheads and shoplifters with the same respect that they treat us paying customers. When I’m waiting in one of their long lines, it is not fair that some dirty bum off the street comes in and cuts in line to ask incoherent questions. The cashiers need a thick skin to either ignore or evict these non-​customers
4. The products. Walgreens needs to learn that their inner-​city locations are not the same as like the Valley or a suburb. In the suburbs, no one goes to Walgreens for their groceries. But in the city, where a lot of people now live, we rely on Walgreens for food. The problem is, the shelves are bare almost as much as they are stocked. Go try to find eggs on a Sunday morning or bread on… any day except Wednesday. (yes, their bread is delivered once a week on Wednesday morning, and it is gone by Weds night). Walgreens, please stock lots and lots of extra food for your inner city stores, and watch your profits soar.
5. The staff. There’s a slightly heavyset manager working most nights, and no one has ever seen him do any work. He wanders, and he won’t open up additional cash registers. One of the cashiers got snotty with me because (after waiting a long time in line), I walked out as soon as I saw that my credit card was approved. He was too busy talking to his buddy to see APPROVED on his monitor, so he thought I was walking out before the sale was concluded. Although one cool thing about the staff is that one night, some bummy lady came in with a dog, and the dog pee’d on the floor. A clerk brought over paper towels and a mop and made the lady clean it up. The lady was furious and claimed her dog was a service dog (it was not).

Why the eff are you giving Walgreens 5 stars?! I know. That’s exactly what you’re thinking, right?
Clearly you didn’t live here before this Walgreen’s opened. Clearly you didn’t have so many utterly insane encounters at Rite Aid (yep, the one right across the street) that this Walgreens may as well be a bloody Barneys! I wish I was kidding. Really. See the Rite Aid review.
Anyway, the place is clean, has a decent variety of stuff for your day-​to-​day needs… and their employees are helpful, friendly and well… don’t appear to have escaped from the asylum.
I’m in here regularly to grab whatever I may be craving… and yes, I’m that girl with the shoe-​wearing dog. If you’re not a crazy and don’t want to talk to me to ask if you can rent a room in my house (wtf to that lady?!) feel free to say hi. Or talk to my dog. Let’s face it… he’s why you want to say hi anyway.

I probably just need to be more patient but I’ve made two trips to this Walgreens and on both occasions the items I have needed have been on lock down (Tide Pods on trip 1 and batteries on trip 2). On both visits, I was observed as needing assistance but then left stuck for a couple of minutes while someone retrieved the all-​important key. Once the batteries were unlocked and removed, they were transported to the front registers and I was told I could pick them up at the front. I’m assuming this is store policy, but I found it rather sad this is where we are at as a society. It just doesn’t make sense to go back here if easy in easy out type purchases takes that long. I’m done whining. Be well.

Within walking distance of my old place in the heart of DTLA. The surrounding area can be pretty grimly at times so the customers can be pretty sketchy but the store itself is pretty clean. They have everything you need and the staff is nice.

Walgreens — Be Well. Not so much.
I needed a quart of oil the other day, and their selection is extremely limited. On top of which they want $ 8.49 plus tax for their Pennzoil 10W-​40. I knew that that was a tad bit high, but I did not know that it was extremely outrageous. So I ventured a little further east to Home Depot on Wilshire @ Union. The same frickin quart of oil sells for $ 4.24 a quart plus tax. That is over a 100% mark up. Over!
So I called Walgreens H.Q., to inquire as to why they would charge more than twice as much for the same product. The customer rep that took my call, informed me that someone would get back to me within 48 hrs. That was a week ago. I guess the Super Moon over the weekend affected corporates ability to follow up with a customer inquiry. Not a complaint mind you, but just a simple inquiry.
There are other examples of obvious price mark up items that Walgreens sells between Rite — Aid, which is just across the street and Ralphs, which is a little further south east. In my opinion they are a fancy upgrade to the 7 – 11, which is just kitty corner from this particular store. However the same type of rift raft float in and out of both stores, as noted the other day when two of LA’s finest were working the corner between both stores.
And I disagree with the whole «Be Well,» every time you leave the store. It does not sound authentic at all. If anything it sounds more robotic and not personal whatsoever. A simple «Thank you and have a good day.» or «Take care,» or anything other than that damn «Be Well.» How about nothing at all. A smile does the job just fine.
In my opinion Walgreens wants you to, «Be Well,» by spending more for most products and a hell of a lot more for some products that they sell. This is their way of wishing you well. Spending more for less. Well, if this is their version of, «Be Well,» than I would rather not be well, and save money by buying the same items elsewhere.
Not shopping at Walgreens is my way of «being well.»

You may think all walgreens (or drugstores for that matter) are the same. Not the case… this new walgreens location is by far the best drug store in the historic core of dtla, and perhaps of all of downtown. The cleanliness will literally blow your mind. The pharmicists and store employees are miraculously helpful and friendly. Additionally, perhaps most crucial to my overall drugstore experience, when the staff says «Be Well» it somehow sounds so very authentic here (never forced, sarcastic, or full of life decision regret like it often sounds in other walgreens locations). In shock, you will find yourself replying «awhhh thanks, you be even more well bro» followed by more shock that you just said that.

Now… «Why in the hell would anyone write a review on Walgreens?!» you might ask. Well, because living in a community that lacked most essentials for over 10 years like a supermarket or a dry cleaners, you too might get excited about such things.
Having been forced to rely on Rite Aid across the street that is notorious for drug deals, safety issues, extremely long lines, crazy people talking to themselves as they try to figure out if the bottle they’re holding up is shampoo or beer, the opening of Walgreens was more exciting to me than Christmas.
Unlike Rite Aid, they don’t lock up every damn thing such as a 2 dollar brow pencil or heartburn meds. The aisles are clean and well lit. Stocked with everything you might find in any other Walgreens or the like. The staff seem pretty friendly and the check outs fairly quick and painless. So… why the 3 stars??? I was highly disappointed in their cosmetic section. Only half of one aisle. I didn’t find anything I needed nor wanted. Not even a nail brush. I was able to pick up the usuals but I was really hoping that Walgreens would allow me to stop having to go to Target or their sister store on 7^th.
So, am I glad they’re here??? You bet your ass I am. At least now when I run out of TP or need to run in for emergency Tampax, I don’t have to deal with the nightmares of Rite Aid but unfortunately, this location doesn’t cut my «errands day» by much.

They pulled out «all the stops» on this grand-​opening. They had every register staffed, people on every isle, and give-​aways galore. Rite-​Aid (across the street) needed the competition and it appears that they’ve gotten it.
The prices are competitive, the shelves well stocked, and the staff friendly and helpful. This is exactly what a «drug-​store» should be.