Floridians who need a pharmacy have quite a few options. According to Renitech Digital, there are just over 6,300 pharmacies in Florida. Some of the better-known options are Walgreens, CVS, Publix, and Walmart, to name just a few.
One pharmacy, CVS, has arguably had a rough go of it since, according to The Street, in 2021, the company announced that it would close hundreds of locations to cut costs.
Florida did lose some CVS stores in 2023, including one in Tallahassee on Monroe Street and one on Colonial Drive in Orlando, as some examples.
The Upcoming Layoffs: According to a WARN letter dated October 26, 2023, the CVS store in Plantation on University Drive is laying off more employees. This location, which is part of CVS’ Aetna regional benefits office, already announced layoffs in August of 2023.
The October 2023 WARN letter says the new layoffs, happening in December of 2023, are permanent and many of the positions are administrative and include positions such as project managers, nurse educators, and risk management specialists.
The New Stores Opening Next Year: Although CVS has had some closures in Florida, there are plans to open some new stores in 2024, particularly in South and central Florida.
Matt Blanchette, a CVS manager for retail communications, told USA TODAY Network-Florida in a statement in early November of 2023 that he is aware of six new CVS stores planned for Florida, explaining:
“Our planned Viera location is among a half dozen we’re planning to open in Florida in the next six months, and we look forward to welcoming patients and customers upon opening…While I don’t have specific opening dates, I can tell you we’re planning two locations in Miami, Viera, Riverview, and Wildwood.”
Additionally, some CVS stores will likely be getting additional customers as Winn Dixie shutters some pharmacies due to many stores being acquired by Aldi.