Eckerd, Rite Aid, Soldier, Spy

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?