CVS pharmacy in Campustown closing in May
The CVS Pharmacy, located at 2420 Lincoln Way in Ames, is set to close on May 15.The announcement has an Iowa State University student's mom worried about how students will fill their prescriptions.
A store manager confirmed the closure but said the CVS located in the Duff Avenue Target will remain open.
The company said that current prescriptions will be transferred to other CVS locations, such as Target.
DeeDee Fowler of Bettendorf has three children who attend Iowa State University. She said CVS' closure creates a pharmacy desert on campus.
“My youngest still attends there and is in the graduate program,” Fowler told the Ames Tribune. “My son is a Type I diabetic, and when he needs insulin, he needs insulin.”
The employees at the Campustown CVS have been “extremely helpful” in filling that prescription.
“They’ve always gone above and beyond to make sure he gets it in a timely manner,” she said.
Current CVS employees have been offered jobs at other locations.
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Closing limits choices for students and staff
The proximity to Iowa State’s campus makes CVS popular for students and staff to fill their prescriptions.
Thielen Student Health Center’s pharmacy will remain an option for students and staff, though it's closed on weekends and is only open until 5 p.m. during the week, Fowler pointed out.
Many students who don't have vehicles will face transportation challenges when the local CVS closes.
“I am floored that CVS will be closing,” Fowler said.
Fowler hopes that a strong customer response will help CVS reconsider closing the Lincoln Way location.
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CVS has been shuttering stores across the country
In 2022, CVS announced plans to close about 900 stores nationwide, which was about 10% of its fleet, according to a Jan. 12 USA TODAY article.
The pharmacy chain closed about 600 stores over the following 12 months and expects to close the remaining 300 this year.
Why is CVS closing pharmacies?
Spokesperson Amy Thibault told USA TODAY that the closures are part of CVS' plan to reduce store and pharmacy density.
The closures “are based on our evaluation of changes in population, consumer buying patterns and future health needs to ensure we have the right pharmacy format in the right locations for patients,” Thibault said in an email.
Ronna Faaborg covers business and the arts for the Ames Tribune. Reach her at rlawless@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Popular CVS near Iowa State campus to close
