CVS Accelerates Rollout of New Pharmacy-Only Store Format

CVS Health plans to open about 20 smaller, pharmacy-only locations across the United States this year after opening its first one late last year.

The company opened its first pharmacy-only CVS Pharmacy in Birmingham, Alabama, and opened its second in Chicago on Monday (March 30), it said in a Monday press release.

These pharmacy-only locations have footprints averaging around 3,000 square feet and feature a full-service pharmacy with a customized selection of over-the-counter products, according to the release.

“We know how important it is for patients to be able to speak one-on-one with their pharmacist, have their questions answered and seek medication advice when needed,” Len Shankman, executive vice president and president, pharmacy and consumer wellness at CVS Health, said in the release. “Our new pharmacy-only locations allow our pharmacy teams to continue to build relationships with patients — their friends and neighbors — and provide on the ground pharmacy care in communities that need us.”

CVS Health plans to add more than 40 new CVS Pharmacy locations this year, including its traditional stores and its pharmacies in Target stores, according to the release. The company had about 9,000 retail pharmacy locations as of the end of 2025.

Together with the pharmacy-only locations, CVS Pharmacy’s store formats include traditional full-service front store and pharmacy locations, store-in-store pharmacies, stores that feature a MinuteClinic retail medical clinic, and stores side-by-side with Oak Street Health care centers, per the release.

“Whether in-person, online, or a combination of the two, our community pharmacies are delivering best-in-class service through consistent, connected, personalized experiences — meeting consumers when, where and how they need us,” Shankman said.

It was reported Monday that CVS Health plans to expand its retail footprint this year after contracting it over the past four years. CVS spokesperson Amy Thibault told Bloomberg that the company plans to open 60 stores this year while closing “a few dozen locations.”

Over the previous four years, CVS closed 1,100 locations while opening 200. The closures occurred as drugstores were pressured by health insurers cutting drug reimbursements and consumers shifting to discount chains and online retailers, according to the report.

The report attributed CVS’ plans to grow its footprint in 2026 to gains made by shutting stores and renegotiating contracts with suppliers.

CVS said in October that it was serving more than 9 million former Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs patients after completing its acquisition of select assets of Rite Aid.

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