CVS Closing Hundreds Of Stores: Will MN Locations Survive?

MINNESOTA — CVS Health will close 900 stores over the next three years, beginning in the spring of 2022 in response to changes in shopping habits, population shifts, and changing healthcare needs.

The Rhode Island-based company did not say which stores it would close or which states would be most affected by the closures.

The company also didn't say how many workers would lose their jobs. CVS has about 9,000 stores and 300,000 workers in the U.S., including stores in 50 cities in Minnesota. Some cities have multiple CVS locations.

In a statement, CVS said it is "committed" to helping workers at the stores it closes find other jobs in the company but did not offer any specific details.

"We remain focused on the competitive advantage provided by our presence in thousands of communities across the country, which complements our rapidly expanding digital presence," CVS President and CEO Karen S. Lynch said in a statement.

The announcement came on the same day CVS named Prem Shah its chief pharmacy officer, a newly-created position. Shah, 41, and Michelle Peluso, 50, will become co-presidents of CVS Health's retail business.

Meanwhile, Illinois-based competitor Walgreens recently announced it is raising its starting minimum wage for its more than 25,000 employees to $15 per hour, a change that's expected to be fully implemented by November 2022. The chain has more than 9,000 stores nationwide.

Here are the Minnesota cities where CVS has stores:

• Aitkin (1)
• Albany (1)
• Alexandria (1)
• Andover (2)
• Anoka (1)
• Apple Valley (4)
• Baxter (1)
• Bemidji (2)
• Blaine (2)
• Bloomington (2)
• Brooklyn Center (1)
• Brooklyn Park (2)
• Buffalo (1)
• Burnsville (2)
• Cambridge (1)
• Champlin (1)
• Chanhassen (2)
• Chaska (1)
• Coon Rapids (4)
• Cottage Grove (1)
• Crystal (1)
• Delano (1)
• Detroit Lakes (1)
• Dilworth (1)
• Duluth (3)
• Eagan (2)

• Eden Prairie (2)
• Edina (2)
• Farmington (1)
• Forest Lake (1)
• Fridley (2)
• Grand Rapids (1)
• Hastings (1)
• Hutchinson (1)
• Inver Grove Heights (1)
• Lakeville (3)
• Lino Lakes (1)
• Little Canada (1)
• Mankato (3)
• Maple Grove (2)
• Maplewood (1)
• Medina (1)
• Minneapolis (11)
• Minnetonka (2)
• Monticello (1)
• Moorhead (2)
• Mounds View (1)
• New Hope (2)
• Northfield (1)
• North Saint Paul (1)
• Oakdale (1)
• Otsego (1)
• Owatonna (1)
• Plymouth (3)
• Red Wing (1)
• Richfield (2)
• Robbinsdale (1)
• Rochester (2)
• Rogers (2)
• Roseville (1)
• Saint Cloud (3)
• Saint Louis Park (2)
• Saint Michael (1)
• Saint Paul (7)
• Savage (1)
• Shakopee (2)
• Shoreview (1)
• Stillwater (1)
• Vadnais Heights (1)
• Virginia (1)
• Waconia (1)
• West Saint Paul (2)
• White Bear Lake (2)
• Willmar (1)
• Winona (1)
• Woodbury (4)