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This is an open letter to the CEO of CVS Health.
Dear Mr. Merlo:
I have been a customer of CVS and its predecessor chain Revco since the early 1980s. That is when I moved to Waynesville, North Carolina. I received fantastic service from Ken Holland, R.Ph., who has long since retired. The advice and consultation I received from Ken proved invaluable over the years.
Due to a change you announced on September 5th, I can no longer ethically or morally patronize your stores.
The announcement read:
We support the efforts of individuals and groups working to prevent gun violence (sic), and continually review our policies and procedures to ensure our stores remain a safe environment. We join a growing chorus of businesses in requesting that our customers, other than authorized law enforcement personnel, do not bring firearms into our stores.
This goes to the heart of my ability to provide for my own self-defense and that of my family. I am a law-abiding citizen with a North Carolina Concealed Handgun Permit. I have gone through multiple background checks including both criminal and mental health. I have been fingerprinted. I have had training.
My wife and I are the type people you want shopping in your stores and pharmacies. However, in an effort to curry favor with those who would put us at risk, you don’t want us in your establishments. That is your choice and it is our choice to move our patronage elsewhere.
I totaled the amount I spent on prescriptions alone with CVS this year. It amounts to $213.23 as of September 4th. I realize that this is only 0.00097% of your fiscal 2018 compensation of $21,939,098.
This is only a drop in the bucket compared to what you make as CEO of CVS Health. However, if just a fraction of the approximately 17 million plus concealed carry permit holders decide to shop elsewhere, that could impact your corporate bottom line. It is not like there aren’t other options outside the major chains.
I wish you the best as you try to explain to your board and others why you don’t want us, the most law-abiding citizens in the country, as your customers any longer.
Sincerely,
John Richardson
UPDATE: I had a prescription waiting for me at CVS. Rather than picking it up, I had it moved to another local pharmacy today. In doing so, I saved $13 over the price that CVS was charging. That is a win-win in my book!