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Walgreen’s
by Virginia Bruce

In April, the brand new Walgreen’s store opened at the corner of Murray and Cornell. Unlike the previous store, the building was custom-designed by Walgreen’s architects for a state-of-the-art retail operation.

One of the most important features for customers is the “Wellness Experience” program for the pharmacy. Store manager and “Community Leader” Carl Burnham says, “This is the only Wellness Experience store west of the river in Portland. Many of our other stores have aspects of this model, but this is the full template.” The pharmacist on duty sits out front at a station called “The Bridge.” Burnham explains, “The Bridge is a way of removing barriers from the Pharmacist and patient. The pharmacist is out front to answer questions and more freely interact with customers.”

A large, well-appointed room, adjacent to the pharmacy, provides the space for consultations and procedures.

“The purpose of the Wellness Experience is to bridge the gap between your primary care physician and your pharmacy. Also, we seek to fill any needs from the demands of an ever-expanding healthcare system. Walgreens is trying to position itself nationally to take strain off the primary care physicians where ever it can. We currently offer immunizations and family counseling for medication adherence. Blood tests will also be available in the future.”

Walgreen’s corporation decided to implement the program here because, says Burnham, “Our old location was going to be torn down, and we would need to rebuild either way. The fact that we have a high script volume, and a demographic in need of expanded services, made it a no brainer.”

New in the pharmacy is the set of kiosks that allow customers to quickly pick up monthly maintenance medications. It creates more efficiency for the pharmacy workers and a quicker trip for customers. A touch-screen display allows you to check in, pay, and get any regular medication that doesn’t require the pharmacist to consult with you. And should you need to wait for your order to be filled, a larger, more pleasant waiting area includes a display screen to inform you about the progress of your order. It’s definitely a more open, welcoming, and efficient space.

Another new feature of the store is the photo area. Responding to the prevalence of digital cameras, the store has three stations that allow customers to download images and have prints and other photo processing options made quickly and efficiently. Trained staff is available to help with every step for those who aren’t so comfortable with computers.

And, wow, the beauty department! Right up front, next to the large windows, the area is laid out more like a department store beauty section. (Don’t worry, though, you won’t get squirted with perfume!) All your favorite brands are here, along with a couple new ones. “We get trained every year on the new offerings and techniques by a company representative,” says Barb, one of the cosmetic clerks, who, along with Sandy, has been with Walgreen’s since before the transition from Hi-School Pharmacy. “Our customers seem to love the new displays, and we are here to help them find things in the new layout,” she says.

Walgreen’s has been a fixture in Cedar Mill since early 2004, when they remodeled the store in the Milltowner Center that had previously been Hi-School Pharmacy (and the original Bales Thriftway before that). They bought the business late in 2003. Burnham says it was before his time, but that acquisitions of existing stores are usually chosen because a business seems to be underperforming in a particular market. Hi-School had been reorganizing at the time, and continues to oversee the Ace Hardware operation there.

LED lighting is featured throughout. Bands of tiny LEDs shine from the shelves directly onto the products, so light isn’t wasted, and items are easy to spot in the clear, energy-saving, natural-color light.

Bales Findley Property Management has plans to start over with that corner, building a whole new shopping center, with new anchor tenants, as soon as they can. Knowing that, Walgreen’s began to search for a new location, so they wouldn’t have to be out of business while waiting for a new store. They purchased the east end of the Cedar Mill Place center from Tandem Properties in 2011. It took a while for the tenants to relocate to the west end of the building, because Tandem dragged their feet upgrading the old structure to accommodate the new businesses. Finally, teardown and construction began in September 2013. (For background, search the Cedar Mill News website for Walgreens.)

Once the new building was completed, the transition went quickly. “The main challenge was operating our old location while the new location was being stocked and built,” says Burnham. “We were splitting our inventory and staffing during a 10-day stretch. We wanted to give the customer service our customers have come to expect, but also get the new location open in a timely manner. Our customers were very understanding during that time, and we truly appreciate it.”

“Access to the parking lot has been a concern, but as people get used to the entrances, they should get more comfortable. Since many of our customers are on foot, this was also a change for them,” he mentions. The customer count hasn’t dropped, he says, and people are navigating around the limited entrances to the lot—two on Cornell, and one from southbound Murray that requires entering the driveway between Plaid Pantry and Auto Zone. You can also use the driveway behind the Key Bank, across from Home Depot, to get into the lot.

The store carries a huge variety of items beyond pharmacy, beauty, and photo. Groceries, candy, and packaged snacks; over-the-counter medications and first-aid supplies; books, magazines, stationery, and greeting cards; cleaning supplies, hardware and automotive items; toys and baby needs; and an expanded selection of beer and wine including some local brands. Seasonal items currently include beach toys and barbecue supplies.

Smaller, more manageable carts, and pullable baskets help the large senior population in the area to be able to shop more comfortably. Good visibility between the aisles also makes it easier to find a clerk when you have a question.

Carl Burnham has worked for Walgreen’s for 13 years. He was recruited out of the University of Nebraska, where he studied Marketing and Computer Science. He grew up working in his father’s grocery store in Nebraska. He told the company that he would do anything and go anywhere so that he could learn and advance as quickly as possible. They took him at his word, and his first assignment was in the East LA area. He did move up the organizational ladder quickly, but as he and his wife began to raise a family, they looked around for an area that would provide a better environment for their kids. They drove around the western states, and fell in love with Portland. He requested a transfer and was delighted to get an offer to come here. He oversees operations at eight Walgreen’s stores in the Metro area, but Cedar Mill is his “home” store, and he spends over half his time here.

The stockroom is laid out for maximum efficiency. Carl Burnham shows one of the wheeled carts that are stocked from pallets unloaded from the freight area with items for each aisle of the store, making restocking easier and faster.

He and his family live in the Raleigh Hills area. He says most of the store employees live in Cedar Mill, and many of them walk to work. He loves the pedestrian traffic and the sense of community we have here.

“I treat the store like a small business,” he says. “We have the advantage of the corporate system behind us, being able to purchase in large quantities, and having state-of-the-art computer systems and retailing designs. But as far as customer service and responsiveness, we can take the benefits of the big corporate structure and turn it into a small store feeling.”

Walgreen’s owns Drugstore.com, and although the local store carries approximately 40,000 SKUs (individual products) customers can access the over 400,000 SKUs available there, and either pay to have them delivered to their homes, or have them shipped to the store for free pickup. That’s the 21st Century answer to special orders!

The store, located at 13470 NW Cornell, has a drive-through pharmacy window between it and the next-door building. The main phone number is 503-646-3438. The store is open seven days a week from 8 am-10 pm. The pharmacy and drive-through are open Monday-Friday 8 am-10 pm, Saturdays 9-6, and Sunday 10-6. You can go online to walgreens.com to view the weekly ad, print coupons, order prescription refills, and upload photo files for printing.

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