Walgreens Store At 2625 W. National Ave. Closed Earlier Due To Several Incidents Of Criminal Activity, Drive-thru Opened Until November 1st

The management at the Walgreens Drug store at S. Historic Layton Blvd and W. National Ave. decided to close the store earlier than the expected plan to close on November 3, due to several criminal incidents that occurred at the store.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 20, 2024

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Friday, the Walgreens store at 2625 W. National Ave. in the Southside of Milwaukee had closed, but announced that the drive-thru would be open until November 1. The Walgreens store was expected to permanently close on November 3 and the pharmacy would be closed on November 1, the pharmacy began closing on Saturday and Sunday since late September.

The erupt premature closure of the Walgreens store was due to several criminal incidents at the store, which forced management to close it earlier than expected. 

Walgreens Corporate had previously announced that 500 stores would be closing next year and by 2027, 1,200 are expected to close.

Walgreens at the 2600 block of W. National Ave. had placed a portable video camera surveillance unit in its parking to monitor and prevent unwanted criminal activity in the property. It had faced multiple shoplifting incidents by the alleged homeless and vagrant population in the area. It also, experienced a loss of sales and etc., according to Walgreens employees.

In another observation in the vacinity, over the weekend, the McDonald's Restaurant located at the 2500 block of W. National Ave. placed a portable video camera surveillance unit in its parking to also to prevent unwanted incidents in its property.

A proliferation of homeless Milwaukeans have gathered in the Southside along W. National Ave. in the 8th and 12th Aldermanic Districts, including drug addicted individuals, public intoxication and a drug sales in both districts have caused concern, and an increase of prostitution 24/7 has also drawn criticism that Milwaukee Police Department District 2 Station during its monthly Crime and Safety meetings have failed to inform those attending about the criminal stats involving the homeless population, drug arrests, overdoses and prostitution arrests in the 2nd Police District, especially along W. National Ave. between S. Historic Layton Blvd (S. 27 Street) to S. César E. Chávez Drive (S. 16 Street).

In a Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) Walgreens store article shared post on Facebook (FB), Olivia Villarreal, the co-owner of the shopping center at  the 800 block of S. Historic Layton Blvd posted about the homeless population, drug addiction and the prostitution plight in the area.

Olivia Villarreal posted, "Welcome to our world at the shopping center on 27th & National and our problems of keeping tenants!  Homeless, drug addicts, women of the streets all up & down 27th Street to 16th Street on National Avenue.  Cristo Rey put in a $10 million investment and this is the neighborhood they have to school these children!  El Rey has heavy involvement & investment into this area, we are a destination!  This is shameful that people from all over Wisconsin come through National Avenue and witness this seedy part of Milwaukee!  The City of Milwaukee and EVERY SINGLE OFFICIAL should be ashamed and worried!"