As some know, and fewer care, Eckerd—the oldest of the drug store mastodons—was recently gobbled up by Rite Aid. And since Rite Aid can't bear to have this fair nation besmirched with countless boxy, beige stores proclaiming themselves Eckerds, it has decided to rename all said drug emporiums Rite Aids.
Two such branches are in my neighborhood, at Smith and President streets and Atlantic and Court. They remain Eckerds, but a banner draped on the side of each building trumpets "Rite Aid is Coming!"
What I want to know is: Do they really think it fucking matters? Do they actually believe it will make a difference? Can they be so deluded that they imagine the public sees a difference between an Eckerd and a Rite Aid, or between a Rite Aid and a Duane Reade and a CVS for that matter? Do they truly think there are Rite Aid loyalists?! Or Eckered holdouts!? Gentlemen,please: They're all the same awful, faceless cement boxes of mass-produced product! Hanging a banner outside calling notice to this meaningless change of ownership is like putting a sign outside the entrance to a freeway saying "Highway Coming Soon!"
I'm pretty sure that most people think as I do; that Rite Aid can just change the sign outside these buildings from Eckerd to Rite Aid—not touching a thing inside the stores—and accomplish their transition goals. What? One carries Crest and Chunky Soup and the other doesn't?
Does it mean these Eckerd's will become dingy, windowless dumps like the RiteAid on Smith and Warren St?
ReplyDeletepersonally, I'm rather fond of the old world flourescent signs that the handful of Nerrgards (sp?) display. I know of 2 or 3 that sprinkle 5th ave in the slope. Are they just local to PS??
ReplyDeletePersonally, I am rather fond of the old world flourescent signs that the Neergards' pharmacys display. There are a couple sprinkled about on 5th Ave in the slopt. I wonder how much longer than can survive..
ReplyDeleteThere is a world of difference. Rite Aid is the lowest of all. Next comes Duane Reade, only because of the attitudes of the staff (the prices are good). Then came Eckerd, with pretty good prices and ok staff. At the top of this food chain is CVS, with excellent prices, nice staff, and good rewards for being a member.
ReplyDeleteah, but how sweet will it be to look up Smith St., from Rite Aid to Rite Aid? i don't have time to tell the full story here but in outline, let's just say SOMEONE happened to working from home the very goddamn day Eckerd's opened. SOMEONE fucking scoffed at the site of Marty, some other borough clowns & a motley assortment Eckerd's employees gathered in front for a "ribbon cutting" or whatever. SOMEONE did a volte-face desite her revulsion, feeling that if she didn't speak now, right up in the grill of it... it'd be a lost opportunity she'd always regret.
ReplyDelete... so Marty points to those idiotic "happy" Eckerd's people signs behind him & says, "& this is what makes BROOKLYN great!"
Hey, Marty! Turn around-- what doe ANY of this have to do with Brooklyn?! What about those mom & pop pharmacies still on Court St-- are they not "great"?
The exchange went on, with Marty trying to joke his way out of it. The Eckerd's people seemed baffled, while the city clowns were annoyed... to the surprise, and delight, of the original protestor, A MOM then jumped in (she had a normal sized small, probably used stroller btw) attacking Marty over Atlantic Yards. It was, at least, a small moral victory of the people over propaganda.
wwib
The Eckerd that used to be a roller-rink on Manhattan Avenue near Norman in Greenpoint has one of those soon to be RiteAid signs on it, but there is a RiteAid already just a block away! I wish it would just switch back to being a roller-rink.
ReplyDelete