Wallgreens recently announced that they’ll be building a 3 story Walgreens location on the Las Vegas Strip across from CityCenter. Many have been wondering why? After all, that part of The Strip has an ABC store, CVS, another Wallgreens just a short distance south, and a 7-11.
This is a no-brainer. That part of the Las Vegas Strip now has a heavy concentration of both condo and condotel (one room condos that are basically glorified hotel rooms) accommodations that have kitchen facilities. In additon, CityCenter has permanent residents but is a city without a shopping center of any kind.
Especially in this economy, visitors are preferring to save by buying food and booze and eating/drinking in their room. (The “kids” have been calling this pre-gaming for years — you booze it up in your room, kicked back while you get ready for a night on the town — and saving money on expensive bar and club drinks). Add a kitchen to the mix and you can make some light meals, microwave frozen dinners or pizza, refrigerate some milk for cereal and similar.
Tip: Even if you don’t have a fridge or kitchen in your unit, you can still keep your beverages (milk, or course) cold. Buy a cheap, Styrofoam disposable cooler. Keep it filled with ice. Leave it in the room when you check out.
This Walgreens will be larger than a typical location and I suspect will have enhanced grocery and other offerings perfect for the Las Vegas visitor.
Here’s what everyone else who is only looking at the tourist aspect of this is missing:
The neighborhood around Harmon between The Strip and Hard Rock is actually pretty substantial. Aside from hotels, you have a large rent-by-the-week/month apartment complex. Not to mention the high rise condos and time shares. PLUS a significant number of old-school (2 story) condos hidden back in the neighborhoods south of Harmon.
I’m guessing that the new Walgreens will have a back entrance from Harmon and be easily accessible to that neighborhood, which otherwise has nothing similar. (The nearest grocery store is way over at Maryland and Flamingo or Maryland and Tropicana). I’m also guessing that it will be built in a way to easily turn it into a casino or restaurant or other similar “Las Vegas Strip” facility if the Walgreens does not meet expectation.
However, I’m betting they will.
One Comment
I have stayed at the flamingo the past 5 years and am not willing to pay high prices at the pool area especially given that I have gambled and drank late into the night and want to relax during the day…in the past i would get a cup from the entrance and go to my room and bring a soda back down…this year they told me that i can only bring one pop per day…i told the guy that i spend a lot of money at night am not willing to pay pool prices for a soda…different if i was sneaking in alcahol…i know the strip is hurting…this is dumb on their part as i will find a new hotel even if off strip
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