Walgreens, Visalia CA

Update: 3/28/23 We no longer use the pharmacy. Covid changed everything. New pharmacists and staff. Too many mistakes and untrained people. Switched to Costco - awesome! And you don't have to be a member!

I switched from mail order to this Walgreens when I moved here 3 yrs ago. The pharmacists, Rushi and Andrew, are amazing. From calling my doctor for new Rxs to arranging for a 90-day supply, to switching so that all of my Rxs come due on the same day to giving the best flu, shingles, and pneumonia shots. They send a text when my Rxs are ready. I pay by phone and then go to the express pay line to pick them up. All the pharmacy staff, especially Carolyn, are wonderful!

Their pharmacy always takes forever to help. I normally go through the drive thru thinking it will be faster when in reality it’s not. I usually have to turn my car off from how long they take to get done with one customer

Absolutely the worst pharmacy I have ever been to. Celina does not know one thing about medical patient customer service. They have repeatedly not filled prescriptions on multiple times then blames being to busy to do it. After several calls and repeated resubmission of prescriptions they still want to blame the doctors office first then when you correct them she says well we’re busy. What no phone calls no hey we are trying to fill it be another day, nothing. Then when I complain and say I’m going to report this because patients should not be without their medications she tells me, you have the day you deserve. Really celina? How about you have the day you deserve. Leave the medical profession lady you have no business being anywhere associated with medications for I’ll patients. Shame on you!

The pharmacy personnel were very rude and they kept telling me my medication would be ready and it never was and it was medicine I had to have

Very rude staff was told it is flu season and there are 100 people ahead of me these are prescriptions I have been on for a long time! This has been an ongoing problem at this place ridiculous I am switching!

Worst customer service I have ever experienced. I made an appointment for a flu vaccine waited for over an hour finally left. They are so unorganized patrons coming in for prescriptions that were supposed to be ready and they weren't in stock or couldn't find them. Don't bother making an appointment you will not be seen on time anyway if I could give them no star I would.

Adrian, at the pharmacy, went over and beyond for me. I was there to pick up my sons prescription and even though his medi-cal wasn’t pulling up in their system for it to be free, he used a discount to make the price go lower than what it was trying to charge me, about 9$ less, which was half the price it was originally. I really appreciated Adrian for that, thank you.

Never enough staff. Wait times to pick up prescriptions are extremely long. They don’t honor their appointment times for flu shots & other vaccines

I will be contacting Walgreens' corporate office regarding my experience with their female pharmacy person who answered my phone call today (after I had been on hold for over 55 minutes). While I can understand that since Walgreens has bought up the Rx files from all of Save Mart's Pharmacies that Walgreens' pharmacy staff may be overwhelmed, I feel that it is Never, Ever excusable to be rude, snippy, and argumentative to a "potential customer" including, hanging up on said "potential customer". I will Never, Ever set foot in another Walgreens store, and will forever attempt to dissuade anyone that I know (or meet) from having anything to do with Walgreens! I am also going to post this on Social Media!

Adrian was super friendly. He went above and beyond for me. Great customer service, thank you so much Adrian you made my day!

Worst Walgreens.

Four hours to fill a simple single prescription then sat in the drive through for 35 minutes behind 3 cars to pick it up

Clearly way understaffed

One of my favorite stores for a quick visit. Has everything other stores have, about the same price, but half the wait in line. Friendly, knowledgeable staff, & they actually want your business.

Horrible pharmacy experience! The lady who checked my mother in to get her Covid shot was extremely rude when she went in on the wrong day for her appointment. She is 71 years old and mistakenly went in on Monday instead of Tuesday and instead of confirming her appointment time/date she cut her off telling her she needed to make her point to my mother before my mother was able to speak to ask her questions. Very disappointed! This lady usually isn’t at this location so not sure if she’s new? But definitely needs some customer service training

I went to buy a Nexium 24 hr.that ended up being on isle 14 inside a locked shelf box. I asked the pharmacy for help and they quickly called for help on isle 14 - after about 5-7 minutes, I figured staff was busy but realized I had seen 5 customers come and go via the mirrors lining the back of the store.

Lo and behold, I went to the front and asked a worker if I could get some help getting the medication:
"Excuse me, I have a quick question. Could I get a medication that needs to be unlocked? "
The worker, as she takes a step away from me and adjusts her mask (I was wearing one too, although I may have stood 4-5 feet away instead of the recommended 6 feet), raised her eyebrows, paused, and said, "Someone will help you right now. " and walked away.

I excitedly hurried back to isle 14 ready to point to the Nexium 24 hr.box and rehearsed my line - "Yes, that one! " I rehearsed again. And again. 5 minutes later, I rehearsed again. Another 5 minutes later, I realized that my rehearsals may have been in vain. I allowed one tear out of my left eye and proceeded to the pharmacy counter (the cool, nice people).

"Excuse me, quick question: is it pharmacy that would help me to get a medication that's locked on isle 14, or would it be a front staff member? "
"That would actually be him (pointing to a guy in a black shirt with keys that - now this will blow your mind - unlock the plastic boxes containing the infamous, elusive Nexium 24 hr. My mighty savior in black helped me out and asked if I'd been waiting long, to which I responded "Yeah, about 10 minutes". My vantablack-sporting savior tapped the "help" button with a lovingly chastising gaze and responded, "Yeah, you should've pressed the button, man! "

I had recognized the good-natured verbal joust and chuckled as any 26 year-old would during a global pandemic named after a somewhat refreshing beer (I understand the official naming conventions for COVID-19 btw, I'm just verbally jousting) and retorted with, "Yeah man, I asked a worker up front for help about 10 minutes ago and she assured me I'd be helped. " Unbeknownst to my savior who was wearing a shirt as black as the inside of the event horizon of a supermassive black hole, he defeatedly conceded that the message was not relayed to him.
My heart sank.
I let out a second tear, but this time from my right eye. I assured him that it wasn't his fault and pleaded for him not to worry about it. I then began my excursion to the front. Would I once again run into the mask-adjusting woman? Only fate or the probabilities of quantum particles at the smallest measurable levels of existence and those of theoretical levels could tell.

I walked up to a check-out area as desolate and quiet as the western Fresno County almond and garlic fields. To my surprise, I was smeckledorfed by the One Who Adjusts PPE as she took her post at a cash register just as the gatekeeper of an interdimensional paradise would. The transaction for my treasured Nexium 24 hr.proceeded as any other Walgreens transaction would, which spoke to the simple complexities of life we all face. I thanked the gatekeeper and she wished me a great rest of my day.

As I walked to my car, I began to reminisce and ponder the experience I'd just had. Was my manly, definitely Type A, Tommy Bahama scent offensive? Do they know that I loathe Trump's dictatorial flirtations because of the Biden/Kamala decal I have on my car? Is this the part of Visalia in which I am not welcome due to my beautiful caramel skin? Does my blue Spider-Man shirt with a red spider insignia hold too must great power and great responsibility?

I sat in my car and stared at the smoke-filled stagnant air as the sun did it's best to shine its lifegiving, nutritious rays onto an unsuspecting populace. It's poetic, really. I was like the sun's rays; I too descended into madness. I was the microcosm all along.

Basically, don't be rude & help your customers out faster, guys. Especially when there's like -7 people in the store lol

Edits: historical accuracy, grammar, poetic prose, poetic syntax, Papa John's

I love going to this Walgreens!
Everyone is do helpful and nice.
The pharmacy is amazing. Always concerned about me, my needs and very helpful at all times. Even when they are very busy extremely efficient!