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WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Health plans to rebuild two CVS/pharmacy stores in Baltimore that sustained heavy fire damage during last week’s protests in the city.
The company said Wednesday that the CVS/pharmacy locations to be rebuilt are at 2509 Pennsylvania Ave. and 2560 West Franklin St. in Baltimore.
CVS Health said that to help minimize the financial impact of the store closings for employees, CVS/pharmacy paid them for their regularly scheduled hours the week of the protests, whether or not they were able to work. All of the displaced employees who want to work in other CVS/pharmacy stores will be able to do so, the company added.
CVS reported last week that five stores were affected by the protests, which began on April 27, and the company initially closed those locations but later reopened three of them.
“As we watched the events unfold in Baltimore over the past week or so, our hearts turned from pain to the promise of what is ahead,” CVS Health president and chief executive officer Larry Merlo said in a statement. “Our purpose as a company is helping people on their path to better health. There is no better way that we can fulfill that purpose than to reopen our doors and get back to serving the community. It is simply the right thing to do.”
CVS/pharmacy has served customers in Baltimore since the mid-1990s and now has nearly 30 stores and more than 500 employees in the city.
“We can’t tell you today exactly when we will reopen, but we are working diligently to make it as soon as possible for the people of Baltimore,” Merlo stated. “Already our colleagues have been stepping up to welcome customers to our other locations and I am very proud of all they have done to stand tall and continue to serve.”
As part of CVS’ commitment to help the community recover, the CVS Health Foundation has made a $100,000 donation to the United Way of Central Maryland “Maryland Unites Fund” and the Baltimore Community Foundation “Fund for Rebuilding Baltimore.” The funds will help provide immediate and longer-term support to people in hard-hit areas and give those communities much-needed resources, the company said.
“The focus now must return to doing what we do best in fulfilling the needs of daily life — food, medicine and pharmacy care,” Merlo added.
