BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT:CVS takes stores upmarket

Customers of the Sav-on on Alameda Avenue in the South San Fernando District may have noticed that change is in the air at their neighborhood drugstore.

As a part of a $4-billion acquisition of Sav-on stores in Southern California, CVS Pharmacy is increasing its presence to 360 stores in the region.

The Alameda conversion is one of five stores in Burbank, all former Sav-ons, set to be under the CVS umbrella before the end of the year, Senior Vice President Dennis Palmer said.

“Sav-on has always been the dominant pharmacy in Southern California,” Palmer said. “The idea behind this merger was to keep the things that people liked about Sav-on.”

That means continuing to offer a wide variety of products and services, but also making improvements to enhance a customer’s overall shopping experience, he said.

The store shelves, for instance, were lowered from 72 inches to 66 inches in height, making it easier for customers to reach up to the top shelves, Palmer said.

Color-coded aisles, with the health-care aisles marked in green, also brighten up the store while making it easy for shoppers to find what they’re looking for, he said.

CVS has bolstered its inventory of beauty and skincare products for women, who comprise CVS’s largest customer demographic, he said.

“The most dramatic change is in cosmetics,” Palmer said. “It’s much more upscale and with a much broader selection.”

In addition to the usual cosmetic offerings, such as Revlon and Maybelline, CVS is adding more upscale lines like Vichy and La Roche-Posay, both which are popular in Europe, he said.

Alameda store manager Jim Howell, who grew up in and now lives in Burbank, expressed excitement about the conversion of the store, which is due for completion any day.

“We at the Burbank CVS/pharmacy promise to provide the same great customer service that we offered to our Burbank customers as Sav-on drugs,” he said.

“These customers are my neighbors, and we are excited to offer thousands of new products to serve their needs.”