By Samantha Swindler / Managing Editor
After months of unexpected delays, Corbin’s southside Walgreens held its official grand opening and ribbon cutting Thursday to the music of the Corbin Redhounds Marching Band.
“It did take a long time, and we had some construction issues at this location, and then of course the weather set us back quite a bit, too,” said Walgreens district manager Eric Almasi. “I think we were originally slated in February to open, so after long trials and tribulations, we’re finally here.”
The JROTC Color Guard presented the flags during the ceremony, and local dignitaries, city councilmen, chamber of commerce members and Mayor Willard McBurney attended the opening event. A free inflatable jumper was also available for the kids on opening day.
The 15,000-square-foot Cumberland Falls Highway building was constructed at the former home of the Peach Corner Farmer’s Market, which has since moved to an adjacent location on South Main Street.
A second Corbin Walgreens location in the Trademart Shopping Center is slated for a grand opening Aug. 27 with the same festivities and dignitaries.
The two Corbin stores are the latest in a series of regional Walgreens drug stores. A Barbourville location opened in October, a London location opened in September, and Almasi said the company is getting ready to open a Pineville location.
“We’re really excited to be down in these areas, and they are strategic — we are close to the hospital here, we’re close to the traffic down on the other side of town as well, so we know that the script (prescription) count is here and we’re really kind of looking to build the business.”
Almasi said each location will employ between 20 and 25 full- and part-time employees. Walgreens will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Pharmacy hours will be from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
“The closest 24-hour location is in Somerset but we’ll see as the population builds and as the business grows, we probably do need a 24-hour location a little bit closer to this area, so we’ll see how it goes,” Almasi said.
Walgreens is the nation’s largest drugstore chain, with 6,943 stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
