Yesterday, residents near Haight and Fillmore received a letter revealing CVS's plans to move into 499 Haight Street, the former home of Walgreens.
The letter reads:
The letter reads:
"Please join us at an Open House to discuss the proposed location of a new CVS Pharmacy at 499 Haight Street, the former location of Walgreens. At this meeting we will discuss our operational plans and introduce our vision for this project. We will be available to answer questions and look forward to hearing your feedback. When: Wednesday, July 18 at 6pm Where: Cafe du Soleil. 200 Fillmore Street"Last month we alluded to CVS's plans, but as property manager Jay Lieberman told us at the time, "until a lease is signed, money received and a store opens, nothing is final." While we haven't been able to reach Lieberman today, CVS's P.R. rep Pat Collum, who is the contact listed on the letter, tells us that Walgreens "is not going to be moving back in," and that CVS is in the process of finalizing its lease, with "every intention of moving into the space." This would be just the 6th CVS in San Francisco, according to a directory on the company's website. That compares to a whopping 66 Walgreens listed in the city. And given that CVS has more than eleven locations in the United States, it would fall under San Francisco's formula retail law. That means it has to notify nearby neighbors of its plans, and be subject to a public hearing at the Planning Commission, before receiving permission to open at the location. That process starts July 18th, with the meeting at Cafe du Soleil. Collum tells us that they want to hear from residents about what they liked about Walgreens, what they didn't, and what they'd like to see from CVS. Issues like operating hours and store design will also be up for discussion. We'll keep you updated. For now, if you plan to attend the meeting, you can RSVP by emailing Pat Collum -- pcollum [at] bergdavis {{dot}} com.
