Branching with Navarro Stores
Navarro was founded in 1940 in Havana as a neighborhood pharmacy. In 1961, the Navarro family fled to the US and opened their first store in Miami’s Little Havanna. In 2014, CVS Health acquired the pharmacy chain and committed to keeping the brand and unique market focus intact. Today, there are 36 Navarro stores in Florida
How has Navarro inspired CVS and conversely how has CVS learned from Navarro?
Navarro has helped support CVS’ goals to enhance the customer experience through authentic localization. The companies have worked together to reach Hispanic and Latino customers through tailored store environments, individualized market strategies, and a product assortment that feels relevant to these communities. Ultimately, serving these customers requires a community-centered experience based on deep understanding, trust, continuity, and genuine relationships. Navarro has also leveraged CVS’ enterprise-scale capabilities to strengthen its operational consistency, inventory management and processes, and more.
How Navarro Stays Aligned with Community Preferences?
Navarro employs a multi-faceted, data-driven approach to stay close to evolving community needs. This includes sourcing ongoing insights from customers to inform merchandising and service strategies, maintaining strategic relationships with vendors to ensure product offerings remain relevant and responsive to local preferences, keeping a pulse on changing customer sentiment and emerging trends, and partnering with local nonprofit organizations to help directly impact the health of its communities.
What do you attribute to the average length of store visit to the Navarro customer. What are the three top reasons Why?
Navarro is dedicated to creating a community-centric shopping experience and providing a welcoming environment for customers to explore culturally relevant merchandise. Customers enjoy the “treasure hunt” experience, which offers access to high-quality yet valuable products, and browsing with family while engaging with employees and pharmacists. This results in a visit that feels more like a community experience than a transactional errand.
Why is it so important that you serve Cuban coffee in all your stores?
Serving Cuban coffee in every store is a deliberate cultural touchpoint that goes beyond offering a beverage. It signals to customers that Navarro understands and values traditions, reinforcing a sense of belonging and community.
How many fragrances do you generally keep at the fragrance bar? What training does the team get? Do you work directly with Vendors?
The Fragrance Bar features four to six themed bays and supports a portfolio of over 200 brands, serving as a dynamic centerpiece that helps drive customer engagement and impulse purchases. Designated fragrance specialists—some certified by the Fragrance Institute Academy—lead the program. The broader beauty team receives ongoing, multi-format training, including product knowledge and micro-learning on new launches and trends, ensuring consistent expertise and service excellence.
Regarding vendors, Navarro’s strong relationships with key vendors help enhance inventory availability and improve knowledge sharing through a flexible distribution model.
Additionally, to help sustain growth in beauty, color and skincare alongside fragrance, Navarro is continuing to invest in niche brands and experiences tailored to Hispanic consumers, prioritizing strategic launches and seasonal promotions, emphasizing dermatologist-recommended brands, and capitalizing on gifting and DIY trends for those looking for accessible at-home beauty solutions.
What percentage of your customers are repeat customers?
Ninety percent (90%) of Navarro customers are repeat shoppers.
Team photo: Navarro’s District Leader Yuniel Rodriguez; Director of Business Analytics José Abadia; Associate VP Merchandising Alfredo Martinez; Marketing Director Jenn Shamshoian; VP Beauty & Personal Care Michelle LeBlanc; Beauty Director Nyvette Marquez; and General Merchandise Director Janet De la Torre.
