oakback

...

squeegeesunny 

Patty seems like a nice person.

ItsJustMe

Patty is in customer relations. She's PAID to be nice. Notice that she didn't commit to a single thing.

mickey85

Patty sounds like she filled out a form letter. It's corporate. Think they really care if one person goes to WalGreens?

Besides, you have no light poles or parking meters to lock to outside?

CB HI

Actually, I would rather they not put the bike rack in and just let cyclist bring them into the store, but without the attitude.

They wrote the OP back, so some good should come out of it.

Kevin666

Commercial building codes ought to require that every free standing store have a bike rack, that every strip mall have one for every n feet of storefront space, etc. If none are available, then by law people should be allowed to bring bikes into the store for safety reasons.

I imagine there are similar rules for the number of parking spaces per store space, which probably cost a hell of a lot more per vehicle.

These corporate places are always blabbing about how green, environmentally friendly, and politically correct they are for PR reasons. Considering what they spend on advertising to tell us so, $500-$1000 per store for a bicycle rack wouldn't kill them.

scattered73

Now I think about it all the cvs stores in my area lack a bike rack

mikewille

Pushing a bike through a store shouldn't be any more problematical than
pushing a stroller. When I get asked to remove my bicycle from a store I
mention that I will also be removing my money and any further business.
It only happened once, and all of a sudden it was o.k. to bring my bike inside.
(This was at a currency exchange with a busy liquor store nextdoor)

mickey85

I can't think of a single store in Crawfordsville or Linton (my new residence) that does have a bike rack. Including the LBS's.

QuickityJacks

You know, now that you mention it, the four bike stores that I've visited in my area don't have racks.

CB HI

Have any of them refused to let you bring the bicycle inside?
Most LBS have had bicycles stolen from outside, so the definitely understand bringing them inside.

All of the LBS here let me bring it inside.

mickey85

both of the towns are so theft-free that I use an innertube-covered chain and $5 padlock to chain it to a lamp post when I go in places. If I remember the chain. Usually I don't.

And the LBS's are great - I'm good acquaintances with both of them - usually I'm bringing my bike in to repair it or work on it in some way anyway. With other places, I never even ask. The only thing I have that's close to bringing it inside somewhere is that the manager at the local Wal Mart told me (unprompted - I didn't ask) that I can put it inside the garden center fence. I can't imagine asking to bring my dusty, muddy, rained-on, etc bike into a carpeted store, replete with bags that I can potentially stuff things inside of (thinking from a store-worker POV).

exile

Depending how you worded your letter you may get a better response than a courtesy letter. If you basically stated "it would be nice to have a bike rack so I may park my bike" I doubt much will happen except for the customary "we'll pass on the information". If you word the letter like they are losing money by a bunch on people on bikes something might be done.

For example: "As Grand Poobah of the bicycle commuter coalition I am writing to inform you about the lack of an adequate bicycle rack at CVS store number XYZ located at so-and-so florida. Members of the bicycle commuter coalition as well as members of the FSU student advocacy bicyle commuter group have been unable to patronize the above stated store due to this delimma. While inconvenient, many members have decided to patronize those stores that provide a simple yet relatively inexpensive bicycle rack. Included in this letter are the prices of different bicycle racks which should prove to be adequate to our members and the community at large. The initial cost of this investment for CVS store #XYZ would pale in comparison to the already lost revenue at this location."

Therefore, if you are an FSU student and a commuter you have not lied one bit .

enine

Surprising you got a decent response. I got worse when I complained that they wouldn't fill a prescripton for my wife because it would require them to fill out paperwork.

echotraveler

nice! hope you can update this thread in a couple of months! "the rack is up"!

wmt3rd

Can't wait to see the pictures posted to a thread with the title "The rack is up".

coffeecake

No, they're a drugstore. If you want a rack installed, go to your LBS.

/couldn't resist

alicestrong

My CVS lets me bring my bike inside.

mlipps

In Chicago, you file a request w/the city to have a bike rack installed. Maybe you could look into that?

dynodonn 

Just tell them that the Target in my area has a very nice bike rack located close to the main entrance with a one way glass window next to it, along with a security camera above it. Just tell them if Target can do that, installing just a bike rack on their part should be a piece of cake.

Mr. Underbridge

That's because it's outside her responsibility to do so. However, she at least responded with actual thought rather than a completely canned letter. She also forwarded the info to the people who CAN make a decision.

Also note that she did one thing that was very valuable. She gave him the name of the district manager. Shouldn't be hard to connect that to a phone number or other method of contact.

HoustonGal

Every new Target I've seen in the greater Houston area, even the ones in suburban wastelands, has a very nice bike rack next to the entrance. It's obviously a corporate decision that was added into the design of every new store. And one more reason I am ridiculously loyal to Target.

Given the rate at which new CVS/Walgreens pop up, you would think that adding a couple of racks when they pour the concrete near the entrance would be an easy thing. I wish more retailers would catch on to this.

chipcom 

I'm trying to picture walking my Big Dummy around inside of a store.


Whoa, it isn't pretty.

ItsJustMe

Target also gives a lot of money back to local communities, in real ways like sponsoring community bands and other little things that are useful to a wide range of people. Lots of times even if companies say they give back, they just cut a check to the United Way or something easy like that. Target seems to actually research local areas and find a range of ways to give back.

genec

Until very recently the only store in my area that had a bike rack was a Home Depot. Problem is I can't quite get a whole load of drywall on my bike.


Now a couple more stores have added bike racks... including the local CVS.