Rite Aid officially filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Sunday, Oct. 15. As of June, the drugstore chain had a whopping $3.3 billion in long-term debt, CNN reported, citing the company's last financial report. Rite Aid confirmed that it has secured $3.45 billion in new financing from lenders, but the company is also planning to shut down underperforming locations to stay afloat. Initially, it wasn't clear which stores would close—or how many—but now, it's been confirmed that 154 stores are on the chopping block. Read on to find out where.
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Some stores already closed, and others will shutter shortly.
Jimmy Rooney / ShutterstockCurrently, Rite Aid operates roughly 2,051 stores in the U.S., but that number will dwindle in the near future. According to court documents filed yesterday, Oct. 17, closures affect 15 states.
In a statement to Best Life, a spokesperson for Rite Aid confirmed that some stores included in the filing have already closed and received ample notice, while the remaining stores will close in the coming weeks. The court filing includes the store numbers and property addresses, which you can also cross-check on Rite Aid's store locator page. According to the company spokesperson, Rite Aid will continue to update this part of its website.
"Like all retail businesses, we regularly review each of our locations to ensure we are meeting the needs of our customers, communities and overall business. A decision to close a store is one we take very seriously and is based on a variety of factors, including business strategy, lease and rent considerations, local business conditions and viability, and store performance," the spokesperson said.
They stressed that Rite Aid will "make every effort" to ensure access to health services and facilitate the transfer of customers' prescriptions. The company also noted that, when possible, they work to transfer current employees to other Rite Aid locations.
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The Golden State is losing over 30 Rite Aid Locations
Sorranat Janjitsil / ShutterstockIn terms of closures on the West Coast, California will be hit the hardest.
The state will bid farewell to 31 retail pharmacies in total, including three locations in Los Angeles, two locations in San Diego, and individual stores in Downey, Long Beach, Burbank, Covina, La Puente, Alhambra, Oceanside, Ramona, Menifee, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel, Yorba Linda, Santa Ana, Ventura, Oxnard, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Atwater, Citrus Heights, Sacramento, Costa Mesa, Ontario, La Mirada, Irvine, and Monterey.
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Three Northeastern states will lose dozens of Rite Aid locations.
iStockRite Aid is whittling down its presence quite a bit in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania actually beats California in total closures, as approximately 39 in-state Rite Aid locations are closing, including 11 in Philadelphia alone. Two locations each in Pittsburgh and Erie are also out, as are individual spots in Quakertown, New Kensington, Rochester, Bethel Park, Moon Township, Greensburg, Export, New Castle, Bethlehem, Allentown, Conshohocken, Hanover, Mechanicsburg, Pennsburg, Abington, Johnstown, Levittown, Ardmore, West Pittston, Yardley, Tobyhanna, Yeadon, Chester, and Titusville.
According to the filing, New York is saying goodbye to 20 Rite Aid two stores in Brooklyn, as well as individual stores in Oceanside, Valley Stream, Bay Shore, Bellmore, Copiague, East Northport, Huntington Station, Medford, Oyster Bay, West Patchogue, Port Jeff Station, Smithtown, Kenmore, Rochester, Cheektowaga, Floral Park, Flushing, and Levittown.
New Jersey is losing 12 stores in West Milford, Mantua, Mullica Hill, Robbinsville, Toms River, Whiting, Tinton Falls, Haledon, Irvington, Lumberton, Somerset, and Williamstown.
Still more closures will take place in other states.
Andriy Blokhin / ShutterstockThe remaining closures affect 11 other states. Michigan has Rite Aid locations on the chopping block in Fremont, Greenville, Grand Ledge, Macomb, Sturgis, Wixom, Shelby Township, Jackson, Taylor, Manistee, Garden City, Detroit, Farmington Hills, St. Johns, and Lansing. Both Flint and Clinton Township are losing a pair of Rite Aid stores each, bringing the total count for Michigan to 19.
Washington will bid adieu to 11 Rite Aids, including two in Bellevue, and single stores in Seattle, Lynwood, Redmond, Graham, Renton, Mill Creek, Burien, Everett, and Lacey.
Ohio is losing six locations in Massillon, New Carlisle, Dayton, Youngstown, Springfield, and Bellefontaine, while Maryland will lose two in Baltimore, two in Glen Burnie, and individual Rite Aids in Bel Air and Eikton.
Delaware is losing two stores in Newark and Wilmington, while two Idaho stores, in Boise and Meridian, are closing as well. Virginia also has two on the chopping block, both in Chesapeake. The remaining states are only losing one Rite Aid apiece in Bethel, Connecticut; Webster, Massachusetts; Merrimack, New Hampshire; and Portland, Oregon.
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