Does Walgreens Belong At Former UBAA Tap Site?
Many Evanston and Skokie residents say they’re disappointed with the Skokie village board’s approval of a Walgreens at 9956 Crawford Ave., the former UBAA Tap site. What do you think?
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After the Skokie village board approved construction of a Walgreens at 9956 Crawford Ave., the former UBAA Tap site, many readers say they’re unhappy with the proposed development.
The new store will be located just two blocks south of a CVS pharmacy and 12 blocks north of Walgreens’ “flagship” Skokie store. Development company Terraco, Inc., is overseeing the project, as well as the new Trader Joe’s going up in Evanston.
About a half a dozen Evanston and Skokie residents, who live near the now-vacant UBAA Tap, spoke out against the development prior to the board’s vote last week.
“It will be a behemoth among the current housing and will affect residential life,” neighbor Cindy Latin told the Skokie village board.
Weighing in on the new Walgreens in the comments section and on Facebook, many Patch readers were also unhappy with the proposal.
“Just what we need, another Walgreens, less than a mile from another Walgreens,” wrote Kathleen. “A restaurant would have been a better idea.”
“The developer is at fault for going for what presumably was fast, easier and probably more money in Walgreen’s—while claiming to do what was best for the community,” wrote David Zornig. “This is just development for the sake of development, Walgreen’s way of putting two stores on Crawford to match the two CVS already has.”
“There's a large CVS just a block away,” Anne Coulter posted on Facebook. “There must be 1,000 things that would make more sense — and be more welcome — in this location.”
Several people mourned the loss of UBAA Tap, but reader Michael Patrick said he believed that business, too, had drawn ire from some residents.
“FYI: check the zoning before you buy a home,” he wrote. “If you don’t want the problems of commercial development then don’t buy near commercial zoning. “
Lora Swanson
10:05 am on Monday, February 11, 2013
It seems that everywhere I go, there is a both a Walgreens and a CVS within a few blocks of each other. The market is saturated, and they just keep building more. On the other hand, it took 10 years to get a Trader Joe's in Evanston because Whole Foods didn't want the competition and was able to control potential locations. What's wrong with this picture?
sabrina fair
11:56 am on Monday, February 11, 2013
Who will check whether the Skokie Caucus Party -- which currently holds all 6 Village trustee seats and the mayor's slot and is up for re-election -- received any campaign contributions from Walgreens and/or Terraco in this election cycle? Follow the money. Mr. Slefo, are you up to the task?
IMHO
12:07 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
I'm guessing that Walgreen's staff of real estate analysts have a better idea about market saturation than most of us do. They will only build stores where they see strong market growth opportunity.
Sim Elwood
11:24 am on Monday, February 11, 2013
Walgreens is a company designed to sap people out their hard earned money. No business has more "stuff you don't need" than Walgreen's. They are a rip off and ugly.
Adam S.
11:34 am on Monday, February 11, 2013
Walgreens is an Illinois based company which employs thousands of local residents in the Chicagoland area. They have better deals than CVS and they don't destroy the economy like Walmart. There are far more important things to worry about than Walgreens opening a store next to their competitor.
Sim Elwood
12:01 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Walgreens can open a store any where they want (if local government allows). If I lived over there I would be upset that another florescent eyesore was going in there in place of a local establishment. Personally I just miss the UBAA. Yet another chain drugstore is hardly a good trade off.
Anne Berkeley
12:13 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Always sorry to see a small business close but not as bad as the City Council voting in favor of easement for a seven story parking structure on the NU lakefront.
Sim Elwood
12:28 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Agreed but the UBAA is in Skokie
LaVerne
9:33 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
How do you like the lovely Apartment Building going up on Chicago at Kedzie
IMHO
12:14 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
I will also miss the comfort of UBAA but what's so bad about a Walgreen's really? The building next to UBAA contained an ancient vacuum cleaner store (was that place still in busines?) and a few vacant storefronts. Walgreen's is a better option than many other alternatives and a better option than what is currently there.
Sim Elwood
12:27 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Yes we were all hoping the new owner would revamp the storefronts too. That goes without saying. Still a Walgreens will certainly lack any sort of neighborhood charm.
michael b
1:11 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Nothing attracts new residents and higher income families than another friendly neighborhood Walgreens. Now we have 3!! Take that Wilmette, Glenview, Park Ridge, Morton Grove! WOW. Way to move forward and reinvent yourself Skokie. The downtown rehab better be more attractive and daring than this lame addition. How bout a Trader Joes at the old Best Buy location? You think Skokie has big plans for that location? Lemme guess... Another CVS Skokie? I wouldn't be surprised.
el debarge
1:25 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Need it?? No. Walgreen's is ,in my opinion, the best of the chains but there is an oversaturation of many large retailers. They only serve to dilute the marketplace.
Toni's and Schaeffer's will indeed suffer and Skokie should have nixed appproval for their sake. Both have been in business for about 50 years and one of the two will probably fold as a result.
Sim Elwood
1:35 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Good point. The word is that Walgreens will have a liquor dept.
Hilde Kaiser
4:22 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
It would have been nice to see a locally-owned restaurant or tavern there. I don't have anything against Walgreen's specifically, but not sure residents need another drugstore there.
Jackson
4:46 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
we need a drug/walgreens like a hole in the head!
Eugene Salganik
6:48 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
I agree. A locally owned restaurant serving good food at reasonable prices would be a great addition to Skokie. I would say something like Bluestone in Evanston, it has decent food, neighborhood feel, and a good selection of drinks to unwind after a tough day. Beats Walgreens, where after a tough day they offer Valium.
LaVerne
9:35 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Back in the day it used to be Gas Stations on every corner now its Drug Stores
IMHO
9:49 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
My guess is that the neighbors would complain about anything that goes into the old UBAA space, especially a new restaurant that would be bigger and taller than the old building, require more powerful and louder kitchen exhaust fans, more dumpsters, more car traffic, and a better lit parking lot.
Eugene Salganik
9:55 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
In my opinion, this just does not fit into the neighborhood. I can understand a busy corner where CVS is or the corner of Dempster and Crawford, but the old UBAA location simply does not make sense. I am surprised that Village Planners agreed to it.
John Brinkmann
10:52 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
replacing the iconic Ubaa with a Walgreens----arghhhhhh