A CVS in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C., is finally closing its doors after surging crime and constant pillaging left its aisles bare.
Located on 14th Street NW, the CVS garnered national attention earlier this year after footage of its empty shelves went viral.
It was reported in October that gangs of up to 45 children raided the CVS every day before school, after school, and in the evening, stripping the store of anything that could be of value.
Now, months later, it appears the location is conducting a final going-out-of-business style sale before calling it quits.
“It’s crazy, but the amount of theft and everything that is going on is really crazy. The crime rate has increased dramatically,” one area resident said, according to a report. “I would say they have to do something about crime, otherwise crime is going to take over.”
“People just go in there and take stuff,” another local said.
While the decision to close the location was made public, a specific reason was not offered by CVS, the report noted.
“We’ve made the difficult decision to close our store at 3031 14th St. NW in Columbia Heights on February 29. All prescriptions will be transferred to the nearby CVS Pharmacy at 1755 Columbia Rd. NW. to ensure patients have uninterrupted access to pharmacy care. Patients can always choose to fill their prescriptions at any CVS Pharmacy, or the pharmacy of their choice, if another is more convenient. All employees are being offered comparable roles within the company,” CVS Pharmacy Lead Director of External Communications Amy Thibault said in a statement.
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“Maintaining access to pharmacy services in the communities we serve is an important factor we consider when making store closure decisions. Other factors include local market dynamics, population shifts, a community’s store density, and ensuring there are other geographic access points to meet the needs of the community.”
At least 50 CVS locations remain open in the Washington, D.C. region.