On the corner of Merchant Street and 12th Street, a demolition has been completed and construction has begun. The large fenced-off construction area will soon be home to a CVS/pharmacy.
The space used to be occupied by a blue apartment complex and the RE/MAX Realtor office. Aaron Sewell, owner of the Emporia RE/MAX Realtor office said they were approached by personnel from CVS who wanted to buy their office and the land around it for the new store.
After several negotiations, the staff decided to move into a new building on 116 West 12th.
“We may have moved offices, but we’re still alive and kicking,” Sewell said. “We just had a good offer and decided not to pass.”
Dave Hendricks, director of the Memorial Union, said he thinks the establishment of the new CVS store will be good for the area that surrounds Emporia State.
“(It will be a positive) especially for those that don’t have (a) pharmacy,” Hendricks said. “Now, they can pick up their needs right across the street.”
Hendricks said that, fortunately, he feels like the bookstore and other MU businesses will not be affected by the competition CVS may impose. The only common products they both sell are notebooks, pencils and other school supplies.
“It may affect our campus pharmacy,” said Hendricks. “But really, the services CVS will provide are different than what we have.”
This opened up a convenient spot for the pharmacy chain, and after a strong bidding war involving companies from states like Missouri and Ohio, Fortney & Weygandt, Inc. won the bid and began construction.
Miranda Murphy, junior nursing major, works at the Medicine Shoppe by Newman Hospital and said she sees the positives for the new building by campus.
“I remember always having to drive to Walmart for my medicines and then pick up all of my groceries at the same time,” said Murphy.
A lot of pharmacy business is about convenience to the customer, according to Murphy.
“I drove around delivering medicines to customers who couldn’t always make it to the shop,” said Murphy. “I think the new pharmacy will be a great convenience to the on-campus students.”
According to The Emporia Gazette, the store hopes to be open for business in October or November.