Amenities missing from downtown

[earthling]

CVS is closing 900 locations, nearly 10%, claiming mainly due to outdated and overlapping stores. Hopefully DT store won't be impacted given recently updated and distant enough from others. Target/CVS have some form of a partnership so if Target selected a DT site, perhaps one potential scenario is as a combo site, maybe even in existing CVS site? Ideally there'd be two separate sites but getting a broader range of City Target products into existing CVS store wouldn't be too shabby if they are rotated often.

[KCPowercat]

Last time they almost closed they used the overlap argument that a store was on Indy Ave so the threat is real

[flyingember]

CVS is closing 900 locations, nearly 10%, claiming mainly due to outdated and overlapping stores. Hopefully DT store won't be impacted given recently updated and distant enough from others. Target/CVS have some form of a partnership so if Target selected a DT site, perhaps one potential scenario is as a combo site, maybe even in existing CVS site? Ideally there'd be two separate sites but getting a broader range of City Target products into existing CVS store wouldn't be too shabby if they are rotated often.

The Sunk Cost Fallacy says to not focus on past decisions to determine the value of future ones.

It's possible the store has a greater chance of being closed depending on how they do accounting for renovations. I don't know obviously but if they have some pay off period for renovations tied to the specific store's targets, and the store isn't meeting that number, it could be better to eat the cost and sell the space than take a loss each month.


My guess is the stores most at risk are in clusters and downtown will be fine. Like there's one at 83rd/State Line and another at 75th/Wornall. The three in close proxmity to the plaza seems like one could be at risk. 95th and Nall and 95th and Mission perhaps. There's one in Target at 135th/State Line and another three blocks north.

I expect Target is interested in functionally zero of them because CVS has space in Targets, not the other way around.

[earthling]

Last time they almost closed they used the overlap argument that a store was on Indy Ave so the threat is real

Ah, didn't recall that. Hopefully both can stay as would be a major loss for Indep Ave as well. Will be interesting to see if Target takes any interest in any of the lost CVS urban sites nationally, perhaps taking over lease and possibly keeping CVS pharmacy counter within and modify store to urban Target format. At best might only occur where City Target already seriously interested.

[normalthings]

Last time they almost closed they used the overlap argument that a store was on Indy Ave so the threat is real

Ah, didn't recall that. Hopefully both can stay as would be a major loss for Indep Ave as well. Will be interesting to see if Target takes any interest in any of the lost CVS urban sites nationally, perhaps taking over lease and possibly keeping CVS pharmacy counter within and modify store to urban Target format. At best might only occur where City Target already seriously interested.

The recent article on KC Target made it sound to me like they want a larger location here. Too much space required than Lightwell has and all

[earthling]

^Yeah if they want about 70Ksqft like Midtown STL store then may not end up in CBD area. Target may see new opportunities though with this CVS announcement. Will be interesting to see how it plays out nationally, if Target bites for any urban CVS locations. Less overhead for CVS to just operate the pharmacy/health services counter, broader range of products for the neighborhood.

[flyingember]

The recent article on KC Target made it sound to me like they want a larger location here. Too much space required than Lightwell has and all

I had forgot about that piece, so I found it quoted here and it mentioned nothing about size being the problem. It says they didn’t move in over *location* in the building. They could have wanted 10,000 sq ft and both docks and entrance access was bad, something simple like that.

viewtopic.php?p=629649#p629649

[DaveKCMO]

The only unique function the CVS provides greater downtown is the actual pharmacy. Everything else could be handled by Cosentino's, DGX, or a locally-owned bodega. Is there such a thing as a nonprofit pharmacy?

[KCPowercat]

I mean I think we're a big enough downtown at this point that we don't have to all go to DGX to get the same thing. CVS would still be a big loss and is probably even more likely now that the transit center is gone.

[earthling]

Not aware of nonprofit but CVS/Walgreens of course killed most indie pharmacies (though still exist, I see some around Florida) and now Amazon/Walmart impacting CVS/Walgreens, margins tighter than ever.

One upside to national chain pharmacies over indie is that you can easily bring up prescription anywhere when traveling so also good for hotel visitors who forgot their meds.

[beautyfromashes]

Could almost put a Target in the W&R space. Sure have enough parking in that building.

[flyingember]

Could almost put a Target in the W&R space. Sure have enough parking in that building.

Why would Target locate halfway up a building and have to move their pallets up a freight elevator all day every day? We're talking about them wanting to empty a semi in less than an hour and the truck wouldn't be able to get into the garage to do it so they need to park on the street. There's very little retail space on the ground floor, it was one of the very fair concerns about that building.

Look for a building with 20-30k of space between floors 1 and 2 with easy dock access (ex. the dock is not on Main or off a shared alley) where they can bring a large truck in.

[beautyfromashes]

Could almost put a Target in the W&R space. Sure have enough parking in that building.

Why would Target locate halfway up a building and have to move their pallets up a freight elevator all day every day? We're talking about them wanting to empty a semi in less than an hour and the truck wouldn't be able to get into the garage to do it so they need to park on the street. There's very little retail space on the ground floor, it was one of the very fair concerns about that building.

Look for a building with 20-30k of space between floors 1 and 2 with easy dock access (ex. the dock is not on Main or off a shared alley) where they can bring a large truck in.

Oh, wow, you actually took that very seriously and put some thought into why it couldn't happen.

[flyingember]

Oh, wow, you actually took that very seriously and put some thought into why it couldn't happen.

Did you have any thought on the topic of downtown amenities that can happen? Or is your goal to provide a list of things that can't be done?

[FlippantCitizen]

Understands and can identify every heuristic known to psychology, can't identify sarcasm.

[mgsports]

Also CVS at 95th Street and Antioch Road/Walgreens at that intersection to same with Mission/95th Street and Metcalf Ave. and 75th Street but that one also has space for Covid-19 test. If one at 95th Street and Nall Ave. Savers can expand into space maybe.

[FangKC]

CVS / Walgreens stores do serve as sort of a general store for many people in neighborhoods that don't have a lot of other retail -- especially the 24-hour stores that are open when grocery stores/dollar stores are closed.

Some of the pharmacies that are open late are a godsend to people working non-traditional shifts.

It would seem that since greater downtown is now more than 30,000 residents that would be enough to sustain a downtown-centered CVS.

[DColeKC]

Understands and can identify every heuristic known to psychology, can't identify sarcasm.

This was a solid response. I actually lol’d.


From what I know, Target and Cordish are still talking but I don’t see a Target going into a light building.

[earthling]

"Still talking" a good indicator nevertheless if the case.

[earthling]

It would seem that since greater downtown is now more than 30,000 residents that would be enough to sustain a downtown-centered CVS.

Indep Ave store might be the one of two more at risk unless performing well. They claim closures about overlap/dated stores but ultimately probably about performance.