CVS Pharmacy, 4777 N. Milwaukee Ave., is scheduled to close on Jan. 10.

by BRIAN NADIG

CVS Pharmacy at 4777 N. Milwaukee Ave. will be closing its doors on Jan. 10, leaving three corners of the Milwaukee-Lawrence commercial district without a business.

Hoyne Savings Bank, 4786 N. Milwaukee Ave. will be the only business left at the heart of the intersection after the pharmacy chain closes. A former cafe at 4801 N. Milwaukee Ave. remains vacant, and a storefront at 4800 N. Milwaukee Ave., whose last tenant was a martial arts studio, is for lease.

In recent years, empty storefronts, undeveloped gravel lots and other issues have plagued the Jefferson Park commercial area. Several storefronts have been vacant for decades, and in the 1990s the district’s biggest retailer, Anne’s Department Store at 4810 N Milwaukee Ave., was replaced by a postal sorting center.

"As part of the regular course of business, we review all of our stores’ financial performance before making such a decision," CVS corporate communications manager Amy Thibault said in a statement. "The closure of this store is not a reflection of the hard work and dedication of our store employees. In fact, every effort will be made to help place them into comparable roles at other CVS locations."

Prescriptions are being transferred to the CVS at 4801 N. Central Ave.

The plan to build the CVS at the Milwaukee-Lawrence intersection was controversial when it was first proposed in the early 2000s.

Some residents expressed concern about locating the store’s parking lot at the intersection instead of "holding the corner" with a building. Several nearby property owners filed a lawsuit in an attempt to stop the project but were unsuccessful.

The issuance of a special use permit for the drive-through was contingent on the permanent installation of a decorative feature in front of the parking lot, but it never materialized.

At the time recommendations included a gazebo or a small replica of Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson.