Store-Wide Announcements

CVS, NYC / 20240125.1521

I spent ten minutes last Thursday afternoon wandering a Brooklyn CVS while waiting for an Rx. This was my first time back in a city pharmacy since returning from 2+ months in Florida. Amazing how many more shelves are inaccessible than when I left.

The neighborhood where I live in Brooklyn is “richer” than where I stayed in Florida, yet down there, not a single shelf was locked in any of the pharmacies in which I shopped. That’s not a comment on NYC, just an observation. Maybe Park Slope is just more protective of its stool softeners.

Locked up, locked down, locked in, and locked out all end in the same place, you know?

“Customer service needed at deodorants. Customer service needed at deodorants.”

“Customer service needed at body wash. Se necesita atención al cliente en gel de baño.”

“Customer service needed in aisle 15. Customer service needed in aisle 15.”

While walking around, 8 store-wide announcements punctuated 3 songs delivered by the Mood:Media box installed in every CVS location: Taylor Swift’s You Belong WIth Me, John Mayer’s Waiting On The World To Change, and Niall Horan’s Put A Little Love On Me.

Every pre-recorded announcement contained a twice-repeated request for staff to assist a customer somewhere in the store…