Former Walgreens store in 19th Ward remains vacant

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — When the Walgreens store in Rochester located at the corner of Thurston Road and Brooks Avenue closed its doors last November, that part of the city lost a major pharmacy.

Thursday, the building remains vacant. News10NBC got an update on the City’s effort to fill the space.

Parts of the 19th Ward is considered a “pharmacy desert.” Rochester Mayor Malik Evans says the City is still talking to companies that are interested in the property.

Evans says people who live in the neighborhood deserve a business that offers healthy foods and produce to move into the former Walgreens store. The pharmacy closed its doors leaving people who depended on it to get their medicines elsewhere.

People who live near the store tell News10NBC they’ve heard the property has been purchased by Family Dollar. Evans says that’s not a done deal yet. 

“It is critical that we get someone to fill that space,” Evans explains. “We believe that the residents of that neighborhood deserve access to either a grocery store or some type of pharmacy. So, we hope to have something moved in there as soon as possible and we continue to work with various people who are interested there. But as of today there is nothing confirmed on what it will be.”

Neighbors say they’re not happy if the Family Dollar news is true. 

“Only thing Family Dollar is going to do is bring more crime. That’s all it’s going to do, ’cause you’ll have them over here trying to boost and steal out the store, and the laws we have now doesn’t govern society,” said Victor Bradley.

“You can’t find your medications, or anything that you would need that you can get from a pharmacy. A pharmacy has everything. So I just feel like making it a Family Dollar, or like a Dollar Tree, just wouldn’t be beneficial to the people,” Jocelyn Taggart added.

News10NBC reached out to Family Dollar’s Media Relations Department several times Thursday for confirmation. So far, no response yet from the company.