Two Milwaukee Walgreens closing this week, residents left looking for new pharmacy
A Walgreens at 91st and Appleton is set to close Tuesday, another at MLK and Hadley will close Thursday
The sign on the front door of the Walgreens at 91st Street and Appleton Avenue was a shock to some, including Maebell Burrell.
“When did you find out it was closing?” WISN 12 News’ James Stratton asked.
“Just now. Just a few minutes ago,” Burrell responded.
The sign reads, “Store Closing Permanently December 3, 2024.”
The Walgreens location and another at MLK and Hadley will close this week.
The shutdowns are part of 1,200 set to close nationwide, announced by Walgreens in October. In a statement, Walgreens told WISN 12 News,”… increased regulatory and reimbursement pressures are weighing on our ability to cover costs.”
Those WISN 12 News spoke with in November and early December mentioned theft as a likely factor.
“I think it’s kind of sad they have to close down because these kids keep coming here stealing,” Burrell said.
Hayat Pharmacy, which operates about a mile northeast at 84th Street and Silver Spring Drive, has been fielding calls of people trying to switch pharmacies. For most medications, owner Hashim Zaibak said people can bring in their prescription bottles to switch over.
“If you have the bottles, your last bottles, you just bring in your old bottles to the pharmacy, and it has most of the information on it,” he said.
Or, people can speak with a pharmacist and they can call Walgreens to get their medication list. A Walgreens sign on the building at 91st Street and Appleton Avenue said prescription records are available at all Walgreens.
For more serious medications, like oxycodone or other Schedule II narcotics, Zaibak said people will have to see their doctor to write a new prescription.
Alderman Lamont Westmoreland, who represents the area where the Walgreens at 91st Street and Appleton Avenue is located, said he tried to get the word out the pharmacy was closing to allow people to plan ahead.
“Nobody wants to go to pick up a prescription they need for their quality of life and the pharmacy is closed, you know what I mean?” he said. “I think Walgreens does a poor job of notifying people and letting them know what is coming down the line.”
Westmoreland said he is looking to bring another pharmacy to the area.
“I am still proactively talking with smaller pharmacies to see if they’re interested in coming,” Westmoreland said, noting that it is a business decision for companies to open up.
Zaibak said Hayat is exploring its options.
“When they close a pharmacy, sometimes they call it a backfill,” he said. “So, an independent pharmacy will go into that zip code and open a pharmacy and do a backfill. We’ve done it in the past, we’ve done a few backfills. We’re always looking for new opportunities.”
“Any thought of backfilling this time around?” Stratton asked.
“We’re talking to some landlords,” he responded. The Walgreens at MLK Jr. Drive and Hadley Street is expected to close Thursday, Dec. 5.
