CVS/pharmacy looking at entering central Iowa market

CVS/pharmacy, one of the largest retail pharmacy chains in the nation, has made a move to enter the central Iowa market.

The company received a site plan approval this week from the city of Ankeny for a store at 104 E. First St.

Mike DeAngelis, a spokesman for CVS/pharmacy, said the company is in the early planning stages for the store. Construction is planned to  begin in the second half of 2012, with an opening in 2013.

Other sites may be on the company’s radar.

“We are interested in expanding in the Des Moines market but we have no additional locations to announce at this time,” DeAngelis said.

CVS/pharmacy has retail stores in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Davenport, Waterloo and Council Bluffs. It has more than 7,000 pharmacies nationwide.

Walgreens also has more than 7,000 drugstores nationwide, including about 70 stores in Iowa.

The CVS/pharmacy retail stores are part of the Rhode Island-based CVS Caremark Corp., which includes mail order, retail and specialty pharmacies; retail clinics; and is a provider of Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans. Its retail pharmacies also sell beauty, health and personal care brands, including the proprietary brands Cristophe, Essence of Beauty, Nuprin, Playskool and Skin Effects by Dr. Jeffrey Dover.

The location that CVS/pharmacy filed its site plan for is currently occupied by the Ankeny Professional Building, owned by Elwell Inc. Chris Murray, president and CEO of Denny Elwell Co., said CVS is still “looking at that site as a possibility.”

Tags: Ankeny, CVS Caremark, CVS/pharmacy

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CVS/pharmacy looking at entering central Iowa market