ANDERSON — After more than 20 years in downtown Anderson, Walgreens officials have announced the store at 14th and Jackson streets will close on April 29.
Phil Caruso, spokesman for Walgreens, confirmed the closing on Wednesday and said the 16 employees of the store had been notified. He said the majority of them would be placed in other stores but said Walgreens might have a better idea of the exact number as the closing date draws near.
In addition to eliminating some local jobs, the closure will also leave Anderson without a pharmacy in the downtown area. There will also be one fewer place to buy grocery essentials such as milk and bread.
Anderson resident Joyce McNeil said she lives on the west side of Anderson and uses the downtown Walgreens because of its convenient location.
"I probably come here a couple times a week just to pick up small stuff like candy and drinks," McNeil said. "The location makes it easy for me."
She said she was surprised the store was closing. After the closure, she said she will probably use the CVS or Marsh on Nichol Avenue, which are also close to her home.
The story was the same for other Walgreens customers this week. Many of them weren't regulars but had stopped in as they were driving through Anderson and because they needed something.
Caruso did not go into detail on why the store was closing, merely saying that it was "a business decision" at the corporate level. Walgreens has two other locations in Anderson, both on Scatterfield Road; one is at Indiana 32 and the other at 38th Street. Caruso said the closure is not part of a larger trend.
"We still plan on being a strong presence in the community," Caruso said. "This was not an easy decision to close the store."