CVS Pharmacy Will Move Into Building at 5th and Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica

CVS pharmacy will move into a building at the Southeast corner of 5th Street and Wilshire Blvd in downtown Santa Monica, according to signs posted at the site. The building was previously occupied by Whole Foods Market, which was a Wild Oats market previous to that incarnation.

The building has been vacant for more than 2 years.

Brick and mortar retail businesses have suffered in recent years as a result of competition from online retailers. Another problem for local retailers is the large number of vagrants in Santa Monica.

California Propositions 47 and 57, which forbade jail time for misdemeanor offenses, have resulted in high crime rates in some local neighborhoods. Much of this crime is directed at brick and mortar retailers. i.e., online retailers don't have their merchandise shoplifted.

CVS sells prescription drugs and a wide assortment of general merchandise, including over-the-counter drugs, beauty products and cosmetics, film and photo finishing services, seasonal merchandise, greeting cards, and convenience foods through their CVS Pharmacy and Longs Drugs retail stores and online through CVS.com. It also provides healthcare services through its more than 1,100 MinuteClinic medical clinics as well as their Diabetes Care Centers. Most of these clinics are located within CVS stores.