I am beyond frustrated with my recent experience at this CVS Pharmacy location. What started as a simple prescription refill request turned into a time-consuming ordeal that highlighted serious issues with their customer service and operational efficiency. My troubles began when I attempted to request a refill over the phone. After being stuck on hold for 20 minutes listening to the same repetitive messages, I finally gave up and drove to the store, assuming there must be an overwhelming rush of customers preventing staff from answering phones. To my surprise, upon arrival, I found no such crowd - just apparent organizational dysfunction. When I approached the pharmacy counter to inquire about their phone system issues, I was met with dismissive and unprofessional behavior from the staff member. While I acknowledge that my frustration may have affected my own tone (something I regret), the pharmacist's hostile response only escalated the situation and made me feel unwelcome in the store. Customer service should de-escalate tensions, not amplify them. The problems didn't end there. After this unpleasant interaction, I'm now back on hold yet again, trying to confirm whether my prescription will actually be ready when needed. The complete lack of reliable communication channels is unacceptable for a healthcare provider. Many patients, particularly elderly or disabled individuals who cannot easily drive to the store, depend on phone communication with their pharmacy. The only reason I continue to fill prescriptions here is due to insurance network restrictions. If I had the choice, I would take my business elsewhere immediately. This location needs serious improvement in several areas: 1. Phone system management and response times 2. Staff training in professional customer service 3. Clear communication about prescription status 4. Basic operational efficiency For a major pharmacy chain that serves vulnerable populations, this level of service is simply unacceptable. I strongly urge management to address these systemic issues before they impact patients who have fewer options for their healthcare needs. read more

This is a VERY schizophrenic store. The branch mgr is so shifty. I personally saw him approve a stack of fraud letters, an employee college grad had devised. To decoy customers to use a code for care pass, but it siphoned 5 and 10 dollar amounts up to 5 times per month, randomly, from your bank account, to ?? They won't admit it. The corporation loss agent wasn't bright enough to suss how, and the employee took off, the manager just pretending he has no clue.. the employees are always females who don't like their jobs. This store is like a disease. Toxic negativity, rolling eyes, lackluster laziness, and disrespect of customers is the norm. The worst aspect is I guess, the smell. They refuse to clean. The carpet is rotten, literally a California code health violation, as of 30 years ago, I think this rug is 28 years old. I'm not exaggerating. I actually think it's the first rug from when this store opened. The entire circumference outside, is covered in human feces, dog feces, vomit, spit, piss and rotting trash. Nobody ever cleans it, and loitering is normal, homeless and drug addicts sit against the walls, and each night use it for a latrine. The roof prevents rain from cleaning it, so you have this disgusting diseased ring around the shop and employees refuse to even slightly clean inside, for sure refuse to clean outside. Probably the grossest shop in the entire county. Fraud, toxic hateful bad attitudes, racism Latinas hate non Latinas and diseased filth... broken photo machines, clueless western union processes, and constant theft...this is the cvs experience of front street santa cruz. Oh, and not to forget. , all coolers are not keeping the correct cold temperatures, so all cold foods or beverages are actively rotting, you WILL GET FOOD POISON from buying any frozen or fridge food..no question..in 7 years this has remained true. Add on 4 dollars overpriced, and that plus a lazy refusal to restock until closed...the store is the most customer hating place in the county. Truth read more

Running the gauntlet of creepy, drugged-out miscreants who post themselves in front of the main entrance to this cr@phole sometimes makes me feel like I'm walking into a skeezy east Hollywood drug den or maybe just in the middle of a bad nightmare where I'm about to get raped and then stabbed to death. The thing is, CVS management does nothing to address this obvious customer safety problem. They *could* hire a security guard to -- I don't know -- protect their customers from the drug zombies -- but no, they rely on some invisible "parking lot security guard," whom they like to cite every time a zombie strikes. For example, when my bicycle wheel was stolen in 3 minutes flat after I (locked up my bike and) ran inside to pick up a prescription on a Sunday morning, CVS had nothing helpful to say to me. I asked them if I could see the security tape of the camera pointing right at bike rack. Their response? No, it's not up to CVS -- it's up to some (mythical) parking lot security company, the name and contact info of which they refuse to divulge. I'm glad a Walgreens just opened up around the corner so I can switch my prescriptions over to a place where I won't be heckled and assaulted in front of store employees every time I attempt to pick up a few essentials. Christ. read more

I've always remembered having pleasant conversations with employees, even if the store experience wasn't great. This is the first time I've ever been screamed at for returning a contaminated food item. Unpleasant long lines, 2 employees staffed at a time, nobody is available to help unlock items, even if there are only 5 customers in the store. As you can see by my previous review, I was formerly a big fan of this spot, and it's done nothing but degrade slowly over time. I now barely shop here, even forgetting to use my monthly coupons, because they rarely have the items I need anymore. If you paid your employees better, and had more of them, you wouldn't have to lock up every bag of candy and they wouldn't shriek at people over $3 of contaminated food. There are no rewards for being a loyal customer, or 8 years of working there. I was treated as a total stranger. You care more about saving the store's pennies than the customer's repeated business, so don't lie to me. I would respect you more if you said it to my face. read more

One of the sketchiest places in Santa Cruz- a dive bar? You ask. A dark alley? This drugstore is filled with the drugged, chronic inebriate and walking urinal cake tribe. Between the lines running down the aisles, to the blank zombies shuffling through the store, and the pan handlers, and groups looking for donations in front ( like I'd pull my wallet out in that parking lot!).. I'd rather have a spider lay eggs in my ear than go anywhere near that building. They have an incredibly overworked security guard onsite, who must feel like he's digging a hole in the sand. They lock the back door most of the time to prevent theft, that frequently required you to walk around the side of the building past the chain smokers and multitude of trustafarians tribes and folks who are actively grappling with mental illness before your eyes. No, thank you. read more

What I would give for Longs to come back. This place is pathetic in every way imaginable. Anything you'd want in a drugstore is exactly what you will NOT find here. Why is there carpet? Why are shelves routinely only half-stocked? Why does the woman working suggest that I buy a lighter when I ask her where the matches are located, because, according to her, "they don't even make those things anymore." They don't make matches anymore?? I'm transferring my prescriptions to another pharmacy because I'm tired of waiting in line for 20-35 (literally) minutes to pick them up. One last question- why do they hire a nighttime security guard to monitor the front of the store if he is never going to ask the drunk homeless men to stop harassing female customers as they walk out? Ew, please go elsewhere. Anywhere, just not this drugstore. read more

Yes, I agree with the previous review the little b***h (Erin) who works the graveyard shift is the nastiest girl I have ever encountered. She is constantly disrespecting people, causing drama, making a scene, and just conducting herself in the most inappropriate manner I have ever seen in what is supposed to be a professional atmosphere. She aggressively attacked my husband and completely disrespected me when I asked her about it. This was not only the first time I met her, but the first words out of her mouth to either one of us was an insult to my husband. If you do not wish to be personally attacked for no reason at all, BOYCOTT THIS STORE until Erin is no longer an employee. It is miserable to go in there, because you cannot possibly avoid drama with her, it is just a nightmare. read more

I am pretty sure everyone who works the night shift here, is in fact a vampire.... no offense, but seriously. My friend and I stroll in here, a lot, on our Thursday girls nights. Maybe it's the florescent lights that contribute to it, or the fact we are usually wasted out of our minds, I'm really not sure. And lets not forget mention all the tweakers the security guard lets roam around inside and outside. Like seriously! Recently I saw this chick freaking out sitting in the makeup aisle swaying back and forth eating a candy cane trying to open an eyeshadow container. The security guard walks by, sees her and does nothing. The unfortunate part is I will always end up coming here on my random drunken adventures. Damn you, CVS. read more

CVS is pretty good. DONT SHOP THERE UNLESS YOU WANT YOUR CAR TOWED However, the landlord and Rent a Cop service they have is terrible. I had my car towed 1 hour over the parking deadline even though I was doing business with a lot of the businesses that offer the parking lot to their customers. Cost me $340. I saw other cars that had been there longer. Apparently they tow quite a bit out of that parking lot, including cars that belong to employees. Owner of the property is Lorri XXXX, and she can be reached at 415-546-0696. The Rent a Cop who was the one gleefully towing cars is: Jason XXXX (Rent a Cop) #6 Santa Cruz Peninsula Security 831-728-7222 DONT SHOP THERE UNLESS YOU WANT YOUR CAR TOWED read more

I had THE WROST experience there with this short girl security guard, she had SUCH AN ATTITUDE problem. I had asked her a simple question for the transaction I was about to do & she literally told me "listen B****" keep in mind I DID NOT cross the line with her I DID NOT call her any names nor did I have an attitude with her to call me a bitch. She from the start had such a big attitude & was rolling her eyes. I did not call her ANY NAMES nor did I have a attitude with her. This CVS needs better & friendlier security who knows how to approach people without an attitude. I don't know her name but all I know is she was short & had an attitude problem. Worst CVS experience EVER. read more

It's been rare that I've ever made a point to completely boycott a store before. That is, until CVS took over Longs Drug Stores. It's amazing how a chain as large as CVS can always be out of the most rudimentary of supplies. If one goes in looking for Ajax, CVS is out, Comet then? No, but we have Windex.... Tell me, how is Windex going to help me clean a toilet? Thank goodness the new Safeway on mission has a decent 'drug store' section. And Rite-Aid is getting a lot better now that Whole Foods has moved in. Sorry to see you go Longs, your replacement is a far cry from what you were. read more

My friends were racially profiled at this location by a woman named Debbie and her little white boy racist sidekick. My friends went in to buy gloves and were confronted for stealing, saying they had proof on camera (despite never showing any proof of said footage). They threatened to call the police and even call my friends parents (who are ADULTS btw). This is disgusting behavior that is all too common in Santa Cruz. I hope Debbie thinks about what she did tonight, traumatizing POC who are just trying to live their lives in a predominantly white, pseudo liberal town. read more

Longs was a far superior chain before CVS bought them out. The employees at longs actually looked like they enjoyed their jobs and wanted to help you. Since CVS bought longs, the wood floors have been replaced with shoddy carpet, and the souls of the people that worked there have been replaced with a black emptiness. Seeing how depressed they look, makes me feel depressed. It's basically a depressing place with depressing people. But shit is way cheap, I'll give them that... (although they're no rite aid, another shithole chain) read more

I hate both of the Longs Drugs in Santa Cruz!! Especially trying to get prescriptions filled. I also hate the creeps that hang out inside and out front. They are also really bad about keeping anything worthwhile in stock/on shelves. If this was any other town you'd have a choice of other stores but this town has hatred against 'chains' so you are left to settle with this crud - apparently this town has a hatred against selection and quality as well. read more

This can be a scary place early in the morning...lots of shady folk hanging around in the mornings. The store is advertised as being 24hrs... rarely is this so... they have been using the same stupid sign "Closed for Technical difficulties" for close to a year.... It's a shame CVS corporation allows this store to remain open under the current conditions. read more

I do miss Longs! I loved the funky things I found there. But I will give CVS props for being inexpensive! Yeah them!! The location stinks. Homeless beggars and super scary drug addicts from the levee. Won't go there at night and actually avoid it at all costs. But it's not the stores fault it is Santa Cruz's fault. read more

scary place with even scarier people. don't go there unless you have a concealed weapons permit and a lot of time to wait in line for crackheads to count their pennies. the pharmacy is extremely slow and unreliable. if you need to go to cvs i recommend going to a different one. read more

I have never been treated so RUDELY!!!! The Lady "ERIN" whoever she is is the most rudest person that I have ever had as a cashier in any store.. It's a wonder how she even has a job!!! Not really sure what the hiring process is at CVS ,but someone should really do something!! read more

Some of the most strangest employees I have ever seen in the retail business. I don't know if they just like to hire strange people or majority of their employee are drug users. The store is dirty & the employees are clueless. read more