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Watson's makes way for drugstore
By SHARON L. BOND © St. Petersburg Times, published April 29, 2001 ST. PETERSBURG -- A dust cloud drifted northward even though a construction worker sprayed down the rubble that once was Watson's Foodtown, which a trackhoe was chewing up Friday to make way for a CVS drugstore. It will take several days this week to finish the job at 845 Fourth St. N, which includes digging up the pavement and knocking down six houses near the old grocery, according to construction superintendent Keith Nau of Young Contracting Co. Inc. "We are basically the neighborhood beautification committee," Nau said, referring to the less than blue-ribbon reputation of Watson's because of the transients who congregated outside. Although a CVS drugstore initially was opposed by residents of the North Shore neighborhood, which the Watson's property borders, it soon came to be seen as a way to clean up the corner. "A lot of people have been waiting for this to come," Nau said. "I could have sold tickets." He said neighbors were out to watch when the demolition began Thursday. Young Contracting will build the CVS, Nau said, adding that it has built about 80 others in Georgia. He expects construction to begin pretty quickly after the site is cleared. The store will go up fast. "The store generally takes about three months before they start stocking," Nau said.
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