Walgreens to enter Alaska markets

Residents of Southcentral Alaska could have a Walgreens drug store as soon as 2009, the company has announced.

Walgreens is slated to open its first Alaska location in Anchorage, but plans to open more stores in the Southcentral region of the state. Walgreens has not announced any other specific sites.

The drugstore chain, which is said to have pioneered the drive-through pharmacy concept more than 15 years ago, will have a store in each of the 50 states when the Anchorage location opens.

If Walgreens does make a 2009 appearance in the Mat-Su Valley, it will be the next in a line of big box retailers to be attracted by the Valley’s growth. Wal-Mart and the soon-to-open Wasilla Target store are two major big box retailers in the Valley. Others include Sportsman’s Warehouse, Home Depot and Lowe’s. The national chain restaurant Chili’s is under construction next to the Grand View Inn on the Parks Highway.

Steve Johnson, a pharmacist at the Susitna Professional Pharmacy in Wasilla, said if a Walgreens opens in the Valley, he’s not worried. After all, the pharmacy has survived Wal-Mart.

“We’re able to provide a better service,” Johnson said.

He added corporate policies and customer service rules at big-box retailers hold staff back from providing quality service. Johnson said new customers come to him all of the time disgruntled by poor service.

“They’re too busy helping everybody that they can’t help anybody,” Johnson said.

Contact Michael Rovito at michael.rovito@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.