Send this story Print this story

Adjust text size

CVS planning two new drug stores in Pleasanton
New buildings to go on opposite sides of town near freeways

by Jeb Bing

CVS Pharmacy, one of the country's largest drug store chains, plans to build two new retail outlets in Pleasanton with stores in the Safeway Gateway Center and the Rose Pavilion opening in 2013.

With its new outlets, CVS, owned by CVS Caremark Corporation, which is headquartered in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, will gain a major foothold in the drug store business in Pleasanton over Walgreens. Reportedly, Walgreens made an unofficial inquiry about building a new Pleasanton store on Sunol Boulevard several years ago, but that request was rebuffed by city planners.

Walgreens is now completing construction of a large new store on First Street in Livermore, where its name went on the building earlier this week.

The new CVS stores will dwarf Pleasanton's one Walgreens store in the Safeway Center at Santa Rita Road and Valley Avenue. Both new stores also will include drive through pharmacies for prescription drop-offs and pick-ups. As with its other new stores, the new CVS outlets will feature a wide array of retail products ranging from over-the-counter care products to lawn chairs and some groceries.

Brian Dolan, director of planning and community services for Pleasanton, said his department has received a preliminary application for a 14,500 square foot CVS drug store with a drive through service at the site where a now-closed TGI Friday's restaurant was located. CVS plans to tear down that structure and re-build at that location in the Rose Pavilion shopping center.

CVS's building plans must first be approved by planners before a demolition permit can be issued, Dolan said.

Preliminary plans for a new CVS Pharmacy at Gateway Center along the south edge of the parking lot next to Safeway's new Lifestyle supermarket were approved as part of that overall project. Specific building plans must still go to city planners before construction can begin.

When completed, it's expected that the smaller, older CVS Pharmacy in the Rose Pavilion will be closed. The store once housed a Long's Drug Store.