The appeal of State Street’s Walgreens has to come from its convenient location. The pharmacy-without-a-pharmacist on the corner of Lake and State streets frequently runs out of milk, is excruciatingly crowded during passing-times and usually leaves me with the urge to apply hand-sanitizer upon exiting.
Despite its downfalls, Walgreens continues to act as a shopping mecca for UW students. Between classes or before bar time, Walgreens is the closest option for anything from pints of ice cream to condoms, birthday cards and ping-pong balls. Its cosmetics department is impressively vast, and paying at the cosmetics counter can be a time-saver when hordes of customers line up in the next room.
State Street’s Walgreens brings a small-town feel to a big-city campus. Customers are almost certain to recognize the employee checking out their purchases or to run into a friend picking out candy. The low-key atmosphere makes Walgreens possibly the most comfortable place to shop in Madison.
State Street’s Walgreens doesn’t have to be flashy, sanitized and chrome-plated like the one on Capitol Square. College students and townies aren’t picky — our Walgreens is a get-in, get-out and get-on-with-it type of place.
