Maricopa residents anticipating the opening of a new Walgreens in the city may have to wait a bit longer.

Robert Elfinger, spokesman for Walgreens Corporate, said there are no immediate plans to open the newly built property on 41650 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway. And he could not provide details as to what type of economic factors the corporation was looking to have in place prior to opening the store.

“Due to the crash of the economy and an insufficient population base, we don’t feel Maricopa can currently support two Walgreens,” Elfinger said. “Let’s just say the economy needs to return.”
 
Originally, the store was scheduled to open with the Walmart at The Wells shopping center in May 2009; however, that timeline was not get met as construction on the site did not get underway until April.

Bill Wayland, vice president of Shea Properties, the company behind the The Wells shopping center, said at the time of the Walmart groundbreaking that the Walgreens store would be open by January 2010.

“We should have the construction completed by October, and that gives them 90 days to get all of the interior furnishing complete,” he said at the time. The construction was completed in October, but no further movement has been made at the site.

Once Shea Properties makes the decision to move forward with the store, it will take at least 90 days to get hiring, stocking and furnishing completed, Elfinger said.

Currently, the Walgreens at John Wayne Parkway and Smith-Enke Road employs 30 to 35 people. The new location will be similar in size.

Photo by Scott Bartle