Rite-Aid closing all stores and not buying new inventory

[bcla]

They were never the big pharmacy chain in my area. We're dominated by Walgreens and CVS. But I have seen a few in scattered locations.

https://apnews.com/article/rite-aid-bankruptcy-closing-stores-e524d3cc1b02e878c656bef75a8120b1​

How long will stores remain open?​

Rite Aid says a few months for most of its stores. All locations will eventually close or be sold to a new owner.​

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Until then, customers will still be able to fill prescriptions, get immunizations and shop in the stores or online.​

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Rite Aid has said that it will stop issuing customer rewards points for purchases. It also will no longer honor gift cards or accept returns or exchanges starting next month.​

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https://www.newsweek.com/rite-aid-stores-closing-locations-list-2069454​

Rite Aid Corporation, one of the nation's largest pharmacy chains, is preparing to close all of its remaining stores as part of ongoing bankruptcy proceedings. The closures mark the final phase in a process that began with the company filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October 2023, amid mounting debt and hundreds of lawsuits over its alleged role in the opioid crisis.​

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The Philadelphia-based chain has already shuttered hundreds of locations over the past year, and court filings now show plans for a complete wind-down of its retail footprint. While Rite Aid has not officially confirmed a specific end date for operations nationwide, numerous individual stores have posted closing signs, and liquidation sales are underway across multiple states.​

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

In NYS they are closing next month. (at least that's what was reported last week).
We have 4 locations in my small city. Beyond that there's one Walgreens, Walmart, and the grocery store.
Someone needs to step in and purchase the stores because the whole city can't be transitioned down to only those places.

 

[citruscurtis]

48 stores in Oregon...4 to close immediately...3 in the far reaches to make inventory transport expensive... the 4th in Oregon on 181 street in Portland area... Portland must have grown east ward... down town Salem had theft problems but no one lives there anyhow and was a major homeless encampment sidewalk. Walgreens went out to where folks lived

 

[citruscurtis]

The other store in Salem was on a horrible intersection and had no blocks around it while 3 of the Walgreens were easy to access or leave and they were in the middle of housing and not retail

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Wow, I had no idea. I have fond memories of Thrifty's ice cream as a kid. As I got older Rite Aid became Thrifty's new name. There was even a store in the small town where I attended college. Dad and I do go to CVS more these days but Rite Aid is closer to us.

 

[barkley]

there are 7 in the largest city nearest us and none are on the list for immediate closure. i'm honestly surprised they've stayed open as long as they have. I've had to use them a couple of times for scrips when my kids had oral or other surgery and we had to get a scrip filled same day w/o enough time to get home to our established pharmacy before they closed-always allot of people standing in line or sitting and complaining about terribly long waits. the stores are crazy oversized as compared to the pharmacy dedicated space-and filled with a mix of overpriced non perishable groceries, holiday decor/wrap and toys (kind of wondered if the long waits are intentional to get people to shop/kids to whine for toys). also-when state liquor stores went bye-bye MASSIVE sections of the stores were dedicated to wine/beer. the bulk are in costly strip malls so the rent can't be cheap.

 

[LoveDaisy]

I had no idea they were still in business. All the ones by me closed 5-6 years ago.

Currently several Walgreens by me are closing.

I’ve read an article about how these closing are going to create pharmacy deserts in some areas. I’m not sure how much online pharmacies are playing into it but I noticed the ones by me started closing around when my insurance made us move to online pharmacies for medicine you take regularly.

 

[tvguy]

They were never the big pharmacy chain in my area. We're dominated by Walgreens and CVS. But I have seen a few in scattered locations.

​

Around here Walgreens and CVS have been hit hard by closures. Rite Aid has kind of been the last man standing. Our closets Walgreens closed the end of last month. I have lost track of how many Walgreens around me have closed in the last 3 or 4 years. At this point, I guess I will have to move my local prescriptions to the local grocery chain pharmacy, or Walmart.
It is an industry hit hard for sure by mail order prescription services. I get most of my prescriptions in the mail. The problem is, the mail order pharmacies like Express Scripts don't manufacturers coupons like local pharmacies do. One medicine I take is $1,200 for a three month supply mail order. Locally with a coupon it's $30.

 

[lanejudy]

I would have said they were already out of business. The ones around here all changed to Walgreens several years ago.

 

[bcla]

Wow, I had no idea. I have fond memories of Thrifty's ice cream as a kid. As I got older Rite Aid became Thrifty's new name. There was even a store in the small town where I attended college. Dad and I do go to CVS more these days but Rite Aid is closer to us.

Rite-Aid bought out Thrifty PayLess Stores, but quite a few former Thrifty and PayLess locations were divested. The ones in my area were mostly sold to Longs Drugs, which was later bought by CVS.

I did walk into one of the few Rite-Aid stores in my area about a month ago and noticed how empty the shelves were. They were tidy, but they basically consolidated less inventory, which left a lot of bare shelf space. I did notice the Thrifty branded ice cream, including a small scoop shop.

 

[citruscurtis]

Wow, I had no idea. I have fond memories of Thrifty's ice cream as a kid. As I got older Rite Aid became Thrifty's new name. There was even a store in the small town where I attended college. Dad and I do go to CVS more these days but Rite Aid is closer to us.

Our downtown Salem store was a Oregon chain Payless drug store where they sold cheese popcorn and everything else under the sun...but cheaper than sears. The store was aiming it's retail goal at Woolworths and successfully did so as Woolworths and Newberry had no parking... the automobile change business models....as is the Internet

 

[RangerPooh]

Many in my area have closed over the years. I know of a couple that remain, but we are predominantly Walgreens and CVS heavy.

 

[bcla]

Around here Walgreens and CVS have been hit hard by closures. Rite Aid has kind of been the last man standing. Our closets Walgreens closed the end of last month. I have lost track of how many Walgreens around me have closed in the last 3 or 4 years. At this point, I guess I will have to move my local prescriptions to the local grocery chain pharmacy, or Walmart.
It is an industry hit hard for sure by mail order prescription services. I get most of my prescriptions in the mail. The problem is, the mail order pharmacies like Express Scripts don't manufacturers coupons like local pharmacies do. One medicine I take is $1,200 for a three month supply mail order. Locally with a coupon it's $30.

There's this joke around here that you can't walk more than a block or two in San Francisco without walking by a different Walgreens. But there's a lot of consternation now that they've announced more store closings. But that would still leave about 40 locations in 47 square miles.

I've got no shortage of pharmacies within 5 miles of where I live. Nine CVS (including Target), two Safeway, one Lucky, and four Walgreens. Plus hospital pharmacies. I don't think there are any independents left though. I remember this local one that also had a USPS contract station. It could get kind of odd since the pharmacist's wife usually did the USPS stuff, but I remember a time she wasn't there and the pharmacist handled my proof of mailing.

 

[barkley]

At this point, I guess I will have to move my local prescriptions to the local grocery chain pharmacy, or Walmart.

Costco pharmacy is a good option as well-and you don't have to be a member. they are very good at answering the phone with a live person so you can inquire if they've got a med in stock before you make a trip for a new scrip or refill. I used to be a devoted Safeway pharmacy customer for decades but they went downhill big-time after their mergers. fingers crossed my beloved small privately owned local pharmacy never goes under-but they have been in business since 1882 and are the 3rd oldest pharmacy in the entire state so they must be doing something right.

 

[hardcorestitch]

This is what happens when you depend on Amazon for everything.

I will NOT be signing up for Prime because it is anti-competitive.

 

[Suger Mag]

I went into the one near me the other day and it had the look of death.... so reading about this makes sense. lots of empty shelves.

I liked them as a pharmacy. hate CVS which is my other choice if Rite Aid closes. Thankfully we do not take daily meds.

 

[LoveDaisy]

Rite-Aid bought out Thrifty PayLess Stores, but quite a few former Thrifty and PayLess locations were divested. The ones in my area were mostly sold to Longs Drugs, which was later bought by CVS.

I did walk into one of the few Rite-Aid stores in my area about a month ago and noticed how empty the shelves were. They were tidy, but they basically consolidated less inventory, which left a lot of bare shelf space. I did notice the Thrifty branded ice cream, including a small scoop shop.

It’s interesting how regional chains can be. I’ve never heard of Thrifty and Payless or Longs Drugs.

I started noticing it when people talk about grocery stores but didn’t realized there were also large pharmacy chains that weren't national.

 

[tvguy]

There's this joke around here that you can't walk more than a block or two in San Francisco without walking by a different Walgreens. But there's a lot of consternation now that they've announced more store closings. But that would still leave about 40 locations in 47 square miles.

I've got no shortage of pharmacies within 5 miles of where I live. Nine CVS (including Target), two Safeway, one Lucky, and four Walgreens. Plus hospital pharmacies. I don't think there are any independents left though. I remember this local one that also had a USPS contract station. It could get kind of odd since the pharmacist's wife usually did the USPS stuff, but I remember a time she wasn't there and the pharmacist handled my proof of mailing.

The Target near us took out their pharmacy out when they added groceries.

 

[tvguy]

Costco pharmacy is a good option as well-and you don't have to be a member. they are very good at answering the phone with a live person so you can inquire if they've got a med in stock before you make a trip for a new scrip or refill. I used to be a devoted Safeway pharmacy customer for decades but they went downhill big-time after their mergers. fingers crossed my beloved small privately owned local pharmacy never goes under-but they have been in business since 1882 and are the 3rd oldest pharmacy in the entire state so they must be doing something right.

Oh Lord, not Costco. The closest one is 6 miles. I have been there once, last year with my daughter, What a zoo! I have Bel Air, and Safeway pharmacies a mile from my house. They technically are in the same building as Rite Aid. Walmart is 2 miles, my wife got her shingles shot there, they were VERY helpful.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Years ago, CVS was Sav-On. Payless was in the small town I attended college in briefly before it became (I think) Longs. One Thrifty's in my area was Longs and then changed to CVS. Walgreens is out of the way and higher priced around here. I hope each of you has a friendly and reliable neighborhood Rite Aid type store.