Westporters may not have noticed, because over a decade ago we were the first town east of the Mississippi River to ban plastic bags.
But a state law that went into effect August 1 mandates a charge of 10 cents for every single-use plastic bag.
In 2021, they’ll be outlawed completely.
There is no state-mandated charge for paper bags — which, by some estimates, cost up to 10 times more than plastic bags. Paper bags have their own environmental impacts too.
So although we haven’t noticed the plastic bag charge here, we’re seeing its ripple effects.
Many stores — including CVS and Fresh Market — have switched to paper bags without handles. They’re inconvenient, and perhaps a subliminal way to encourage shoppers to bring their own reusable bags.
An “06880” reader reports that Walgreens is charging 10 cents for each paper bag.
Meanwhile — reading between the lines of this sign — it looks like Stop & Shop will start charging for paper bags next month.
It’s official: Walgreens is closing its longtime HomeGoods shopping center location (opposite Shake Shack). A source says that employees have been told they will be retained, but they have not been told where.
Walgreens has a 2nd Westport location, just a couple of miles away across from the Sherwood Diner.
The company — the largest drug retailing chain in the US, with over 8,000 stores — recently abandoned plans to build a new facility just over the Southport line. Neighbors had filed a legal challenge with Fairfield’s Plan and Zoning Commission.
Before it was Walgreens, the HomeGoods plaza site was occupied by MediMart.
Meanwhile, the most important question is: Why is Walgreens’ logo red?
An alert “06880” reader writes (and swears every line is true):
So there I was, 4th in line at the Walgreens on the Southport line. One clerk workedfeverishly to account for more than 30 items in a cart. Our line watched in amazement as the customer — a doctor in scrubs — pulled coupons from her handbag. She was like a magician drawing handkerchiefs out of a hat.
The poor clerk struggled to match the coupons to the products. Many were for wrong-size items. Back to the bag the doctor went, to find the right coupons.
After what seemed like 10 minutes, the 2 agreed on a total. The doctor abruptly turned and walked to the ATM, where she screamed, “How much is that again?” Our long line was stunned, but no one uttered a peep.
After paying, the doctor went to her car. I could not contain myself. I asked my new friends to hold my place in line. I had to see what she was driving.
It was a Mercedes S550.
Parked in the fire lane, right in front of the door.
Nearly everyone here has a great, Westport business-going-the-extra-mile story to tell from the past few days.
Here’s mine.
Every month, my mother renews a hard-to-fill prescription. She’s come to rely on the Walgreens near the Southport line as her go-to pharmacy. No other drugstore seems to stock it.
Yesterday, I went there for a refill. The store was dark, but I pulled on the front door.
It opened.
A flashlight-wielding employee led me to the back. The pharmacist was busy — by cellphone light — calling customers to let them know their prescriptions could be picked up.
“Our phones are out, so they probably think we’re closed,” she said.
She stopped what she was doing, to help me.
She made calls to a number of other Walgreenses, in Connecticut and Westchester. She finally found one — in Greenwich — with the medication on hand.
Then she asked if I needed directions.
It was pitch black. I told her I’d find it myself.
I thanked her profusely.
As the first employee walked me to the front, the pharmacist was already dialing her next customer.
Most Sunday mornings, I buy my Times at CVS. That early, the store is empty. There are no lines. And the staff — especially always-smiling Phil, just coming off a long shift — is friendly and helpful.
The rest of the time, the place is nuts.
But let an alert “06880” reader — a woman who wishes to remain anonymous — tell her tale.
I need to vent about the CVS pharmacy lines! Over the 3 years I’ve lived here, it’s gone from driving back from the doctor’s office, popping into CVS and picking up the prescription in less than 15 minutes, to now almost a 3-hour wait tonight.
I have a sick 1 1/2-year-old with an ear infection and needed to get a dose before bedtime. I was at the doctor’s at 2:15. They called in the prescription while I was there. So I went directly to CVS. I figured I’d have to wait a bit, but wanted it ASAP.
I waited in a ridiculously long line, only to be told it would be a 2-hour wait. I returned 2 hours later. They said my prescription hadn’t even been called in, which was untrue.
So they checked and discovered it had been. They told me 5 minutes, which turned into another half hour. By 5:30 I was rushing to get out of there and get the medicine in my son so we could all get some sleep tonight.
I was not the only sad story tonight. There were many people almost traumatized by their individual situations and long lines. I asked the guy handing drop-offs what was going on. He said that since Walgreens stopped accepting express Rx (?), CVS now handles all of those customers. When I asked how they planned to address this increase in drug traffic, he shrugged his shoulders.
I think I’m about to take my business elsewhere. After spending an entire afternoon trying to obtain this prescription, it would have been more efficient if I had just driven to Fairfield.
Any thoughts on CVS? Walgreens? Achorns? Where do you get your prescriptions filled — and what’s your experience with customer service?
Meanwhile, don’t get me started on that CVS parking lot. Why do you think I only go there on Sunday mornings?
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