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Seems like my problem is a common one. One spouse working in Woonsocket while the other has to drive towards Boston. Frustrating that a Fortune 20 Company like CVS would choose to locate themselves in the middle of nowhere backwater Woonsocket.
Why frustrating? I don't want to live in a country where major corporations are headquartered only in major metro areas -- that would mean an even more drastic haves-vs.-have-nots situation than we're already dealing with. CVS has been headquartered in Woonsocket for a very long time and is a major contributor to the state's economy as well as a big supporter of a lot of charitable causes around the state. Its top executives are dedicated to Rhode Island -- the CEO lives a few miles down the road from me, and I have friends, Rhode Island natives, who have known the president for decades, plus another friend who taught her kids in a Providence school. I know other Rhode Island people who have worked there for 25 years. Why add to the embarrassment of corporate riches in a place like Boston when you can rely on the infrastructure you've built over many years? (Don't get me wrong, there are reasons to have a presence there -- and I presume that's why CVS does have an office in Boston, as well as in many other cities around the country.)
By the way, CVS' main competitors are Walgreens, which is located only 10 minutes closer to Chicago than CVS is located to Boston; and Rite Aid, which is almost two hours from the nearest major city, Philadelphia.
Why frustrating? I don't want to live in a country where major corporations are headquartered only in major metro areas -- that would mean an even more drastic haves-vs.-have-nots situation than we're already dealing with. CVS has been headquartered in Woonsocket for a very long time and is a major contributor to the state's economy as well as a big supporter of a lot of charitable causes around the state. Its top executives are dedicated to Rhode Island -- the CEO lives a few miles down the road from me, and I have friends, Rhode Island natives, who have known the president for decades, plus another friend who taught her kids in a Providence school. I know other Rhode Island people who have worked there for 25 years. Why add to the embarrassment of corporate riches in a place like Boston when you can rely on the infrastructure you've built over many years? (Don't get me wrong, there are reasons to have a presence there -- and I presume that's why CVS does have an office in Boston, as well as in many other cities around the country.)
By the way, CVS' main competitors are Walgreens, which is located only 10 minutes closer to Chicago than CVS is located to Boston; and Rite Aid, which is almost two hours from the nearest major city, Philadelphia.
Good points. CVS is arguably RI's largest employer. I also like CVS, their extra care card is great, and their pharmacies provide good service. If their headquarters were in Boston, new employees would be complaining that the cost of living is too high for them to move there. The Woonsocket location offers a number of nearby locations to live in.
Seems like my problem is a common one. One spouse working in Woonsocket while the other has to drive towards Boston. Frustrating that a Fortune 20 Company like CVS would choose to locate themselves in the middle of nowhere backwater Woonsocket.
You don't have to settle on Boston, either. Seems like you've already decided that's your only option. A few places that I've seen with decent white collar opportunities that don't require a Boston commute include:
-Worcester area
-Metrowest
-Fall River / Raynham
Frankly, I'd quite bellyaching about the fact that CVS is where it is. Your wife has landed a job at an excellent, healthy company that many would aspire to work at. And for those of us in RI, we are deeply grateful the company is still headquartered here. If you haven't noticed, our economy isn't exactly robust.
And I'm willing to bet I can find plenty of backwater communities in flyover country, Ohio.
Why frustrating? I don't want to live in a country where major corporations are headquartered only in major metro areas -- that would mean an even more drastic haves-vs.-have-nots situation than we're already dealing with. *CVS has been headquartered in Woonsocket for a very long time and is a major contributor to the state's economy as well as a big supporter of a lot of charitable causes around the state. Its top executives are dedicated to Rhode Island -- the CEO lives a few miles down the road from me, and I have friends, Rhode Island natives, who have known the president for decades, plus another friend who taught her kids in a Providence school. I know other Rhode Island people who have worked there for 25 years. Why add to the embarrassment of corporate riches in a place like Boston when you can rely on the infrastructure you've built over many years? (Don't get me wrong, there are reasons to have a presence there -- and I presume that's why CVS does have an office in Boston, as well as in many other cities around the country.)
By the way, CVS' main competitors are Walgreens, which is located only 10 minutes closer to Chicago than CVS is located to Boston; and Rite Aid, which is almost two hours from the nearest major city, Philadelphia.
A few years ago *, CVS was also considering moving out of Rhode Island, but you've only been a resident of RI for about 2 years, so maybe you missed that. The state may have given them some "incentive" tax-wise etc., to stay in RI. CVS has undergone several transitions in the corporate offices with various CEOs since Tom Ryan left the company. There are CVS Pharmacy Div., and CVS Caremark Div. as well.
*Edit: Actually they were considering a move out of the country last year, August 2014.
Actually they were considering a move out of the country last year, August 2014.
But that was exclusively for tax-shelter purposes -- I doubt any Rhode Island jobs even would have been lost. I remember hearing once that CVS was the largest corporation in the U.S. that operates exclusively in the U.S. -- that is, they don't do any business outside of the country. It's hard to imagine them packing up and moving everyone to Europe to operate a network of U.S. stores.
It was also probably an empty threat. Who knows what concessions they got, but things like that are just part of the corporate game.
Corporate game, coporate blackmail- it's par for the course.
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