Power outage impacts CVS Pharmacy in downtown Bethesda

UPDATE - 11:02 AM: Pepco has restored partial power to the affected area; less than 5 customers are still without power. The utility has revised its restoration time to 7:00 PM for those customers. There is now a new outage in the area of St. Elmo Avenue. Pepco's response there is "pending," according to the utility's website.

UPDATE - 2:02 PM: CVS Pharmacy has reopened.

A Pepco crew has been on the scene at CVS Pharmacy at 7809 Wisconsin Avenue since late Monday night. The utility's website states that a transformer failure in the vicinity is currently believed to be the cause of a power outage there, with less than ten customers affected in total. One of those customers is the CVS Pharmacy, which is usually open 24 hours, but was closed last night. The store's lighted signage was flashing on and off, as were the interior lights. Pepco is hoping to have power restored between 8:00 AM and 12:00 PM this morning. 

Pepco trucks outside of CVS Pharmacy
early this morning

Bethesda's newest CVS Pharmacy sets closing date

Earlier this month, I reported that the newest CVS Pharmacy in downtown Bethesda would close in March, but the corporate office had not yet announced a closing date. Customers having prescriptions filled at the 7235 Wisconsin Avenue store this week report that they have been informed this location will permanently close on March 19, 2025. The store opened in the former Riggs/PNC Bank building in December 2022. It recently closed temporarily due to a water main break in January.

Bethesda's newest CVS Pharmacy to close

The newest CVS Pharmacy in downtown Bethesda may also be the next to close. Customers having prescriptions filled at the 7235 Wisconsin Avenue store this week report they are being told to move their prescriptions elsewhere, as CVS has decided to close this location next month. The store opened in the former PNC Bank building in December 2022. It recently closed temporarily due to a water main break in January.

Bethesda CVS Pharmacy reopens after extended closure due to water outage

The CVS Pharmacy at 7235 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda has reopened, after an unscheduled and extended closure. A water main break on January 6, 2025 left the store without water service. Utility WSSC stated on January 7 that it had restored service to customers in that vicinity, but the store remained closed for weeks beyond that. CVS cited a water outage as the reason for the closure. WSSC has not elaborated further on the matter since January 7, but recently announced that its crews have responded to 414 water main breaks so far this month.

Bethesda CVS Pharmacy remains closed a week after water main break

The CVS Pharmacy at 7235 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda remained closed yesterday, a week after a water main break across the street from the store on Wisconsin Avenue. Early on the morning of January 7, 2025, water utility WSSC posted on Twitter that it expected water service to be restored to customers impacted at 1:35 AM. WSSC has not posted any further updates about this particular water main break since, but the CVS has not reopened.

New CVS Pharmacy opens at Chevy Chase Lake, is immediately hit by professional shoplifter

The new CVS Pharmacy at 3820 Chaplin Place at Chevy Chase Lake opened over the weekend, although the actual pharmacy counter will open at a later date. It did not take long for the professional shoplifters operating in Montgomery County to find the new drugstore. County police were called to the store Sunday after a suspect shoveled the entire inventory of a high-end L'oreal skincare line into a garbage bag, and simply walked out the door, according to an employee account of the incident. Police reportedly have a piece of useful evidence, and are investigating.

Signage installed at CVS Pharmacy at Chevy Chase Lake (Photos)

The new CVS Pharmacy at 3820 Chaplin Place in the ground floor of The Claude at Chevy Chase Lake looks like it's ready to open. Signage has been installed. You know the drill from the most-recent CVS opening in downtown Bethesda: yep, once again the "Pharmacy" half of the sign has a white cover over it, and the small sign that will eventually list the store's hours, and the names of the store manager and pharmacy manager is also in place. Inside, shelves now appear to be fully stocked.

CVS Pharmacy nearing opening at Chevy Chase Lake (Photos)

The new CVS Pharmacy at 3820 Chaplin Place in the The Claude apartments at Chevy Chase Lake is nearing completion. Wayfinding signage for aisles and departments is in place, and shelves are now being stocked with merchandise. The ubiquitous and welcome automatic entry doors have also been installed. A surveillance camera monitor that will greet all who enter is already operational and recording. Smile - you're on Candid Camera!

Bethesda CVS Pharmacy locks up detergent

The continuing impact of rising retail thefts, and Montgomery County's utterly lackluster efforts to crack down on them, can now be seen at the CVS Pharmacy at 7809 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda. Laundry detergent has been put under lock and key at the store, which was emitting an earsplitting shoplifting/burglary alarm on a previous day last week. There was no sign of police response to the store during that incident. 

A call button has been placed on the detergent shelf to summon an employee - most likely the harried cashier or clerk. Montgomery County is hardly the only jurisdiction in the country to sit on its hands as new careers in high-dollar shoplifting, car thefts, and postal check washing are allowed to flourish unabated. The only crackdowns so far are on the law-abiding customers. If it's got to be clean, it's got to be Tide...and it's got to be unlocked before you can buy it.

Trash can fire in downtown Bethesda (Video + Photos)

Smoke was seen rising from a trash can on Wisconsin Avenue near Cheltenham Drive outside the CVS Pharmacy in Bethesda around 11:30 PM Wednesday night. There was apparently a fire burning inside the Bethesda Urban Partnership can. Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service personnel arrived on the scene and quickly extinguished the trash fire. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time, but there are surveillance cameras in the area that might show if it was set intentionally or by accident.

Charmery, CVS updates at Chevy Chase Lake (Photos)

Permanent signage has been installed at The Charmery, the ice cream parlor opening soon at 8551 Connecticut Avenue in the new Chevy Chase Lake development. Last evening, the logo sign above the future storefront was already lit. An unlit ice cream cone also juts out above the sidewalk. 

Across the way, there is now "coming soon" signage in the windows of the future CVS Pharmacy. By the way, how about the continental European look of the architecture and accent lighting along the street past The Charmery? Phenomenal! They really nailed the Old World look in a number of spots at this new development, creating a much better sense of place with unique architectural design. One fascinating thing about "town centers," is which spot organically becomes the photo backdrop location for people's selfies, which probably won't be clear here until Chevy Chase Lake and the Purple Line station are finished.

Armed robbery at CVS Pharmacy in downtown Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to an armed robbery at the CVS Pharmacy at 7809 Wisconsin Avenue at Cheltenham Drive on Thursday afternoon, January 12, 2023. The alleged robber wounded a CVS employee with a knife during the broad-daylight attempted heist at 3:52 PM, but was arrested by officers at the scene. A reader reports seeing an ambulance surrounded by police cruisers outside the store.

New CVS Pharmacy opens in downtown Bethesda

Bethesda's newest CVS Pharmacy has opened at 7235 Wisconsin Avenue. Formerly a Riggs and PNC Bank, the store now appears in the CVS app directory. Signage identifying the managers of the store and pharmacy has been posted. Enjoy the upscale environment of this unique CVS, with chandeliers left over from the bank era.

New Bethesda CVS stocking shelves, hiring employees (Photos)

Bethesda's newest CVS Pharmacy at 7235 Wisconsin Avenue is getting closer to opening. The store is now hiring three positions: store associate, shift supervisor, and maintenance associate. Employees already hired are now stocking the shelves. Boxes of merchandise are stacked up on the sales floor awaiting shelving. It's the classiest CVS around, with chandeliers left over from the original tenant, Riggs Bank (a.k.a. PNC Bank).

CVS Health neon heart logo lights up at future Bethesda CVS Pharmacy (Photos)

The shelves still aren't filled with merchandise, but the progress towards an opening day is still very visible at the newest CVS Pharmacy in downtown Bethesda, located at 7235 Wisconsin Avenue. A new, lighted neon sign of the company's CVS Health heart logo has been installed in the window, and was lit for the first time last night. 

This logo debuted several years ago, to signify the brand's transition from retail and prescription sales to its goal of becoming a major healhcare provider. CVS says the heart represents its new, trademarked corporate motto, "Bringing our heart to every moment of your health."