THE LOOP — "That Great Street" will soon have four corners of happy and healthy.
Walgreens, the ubiquitous Deerfield-based pharmacy, said Wednesday it will open a new store in a shuttered Sears at 2 N. State St.
Once open, the new store will be the fourth Walgreens within five blocks on State Street, and the 11th in The Loop. Walgreens also has a big flagship store (technically in River North) in the Wrigley Building on Michigan Avenue.
The new State and Madison lease marks a return for Walgreens, which ran a store in the building from 1949 to 1999, company spokesman Phil Caruso said. He said foot-traffic justifies the plethora of State Street stores, and "it's not unusual" for Walgreens to have so many stores in "high-trafficked, urban, dense areas."
"Surprisingly enough it’s a different customer base," Caruso said. "If you work in an office building on Madison, you’re not going to walk to Randolph. Walgreens is about convenience."
For comparison's sake, Walgreens rival CVS runs eight Loop stores, and two on State Street. Starbucks, while not a pharmacy, is notoriously everywhere and has nine shops on State from Wacker Drive to Roosevelt Road.
When asked, passersby on State seemed to agree there could be room for something else on the street.
"I'd like a nice restaurant," said Vel Johnson of Hyde Park.
Max Jolly of West Rogers Park also thought it was funny there were so many Walgreens in the Loop, but since their sale specials all rotate, "it's not such a bad thing."
She'd prefer a Lucky Dog like those in the western suburbs, but knows the next great State Street store isn't up to her.
"Just 'cuz you like it don't mean everyone else will," she said.
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