By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
Rite Aids local to our area have stated they, along with all other Rite Aid stores in Ohio and Michigan will be closing. This information has not yet been confirmed directly from Rite Aid corporate, however, Rite Aid stores in both Fulton, Lucas, and Defiance Counties have informed The Village Reporter that they will indeed be closing. Furthermore, stores in Hillsdale County and Jackson County in Michigan have confirmed this as well.
Additionally, several other news outlets throughout Ohio and Michigan have reported that their local Rite Aid stores have told them the same. If this information is indeed true, it would mean the closure of stores in Wauseon, Archbold. These would be in addition to the Swanton store closing that is scheduled to take place on July 24th and the Bryan store closing that took place on January 25th.
No date has been given by any store employees as to when the closing will take place. Employees have stated lists will be released at the end of each week with store closings.
These closings come as Walgreens has announced that they too will be closing stores. Before this announcement, some community members voiced their opinion that Walgreens or CVS could buy the empty Rite Aid storefronts. Some Rite Aid employees also informed The Village Reporter that prescriptions are to be transferred to Walgreens following a deal between the two companies. This has been corroborated by a story put out by the Detroit Free Press that states Michigan prescriptions would be transferred to Walgreens.
While possible, it remains yet to be seen what may happen. Reporting from WILX in Lansing, Michigan shows that Walgreens CEO, Tim Wentworth said, “about 2,100 underperforming stores face closure if they don’t improve.” This is a significant chunk of their reported 8,600 locations nationwide. Some of those stores that could close are reported to be in Michigan, which raises more questions as to where customers will receive their prescriptions.
CVS also put plans in motion back in 2021 to close around 900 of its stores. Those plans were reportedly put into motion back in 2022 and were to take place over a three-year timeframe.
Rite Aid has not returned any attempt made for comment.
1 Comment
My local Rite Aid in Bowling Green, Ohio is now liquidating. Pharmacy closed June 27th and store is closing July 28th. You can’t call the store as the local Walgreens has taken over the phone number. The aisles are in total disarray as people try to find the “good deals”. The employees are not happy about the situation, neither the closing or the vultures destroying the store.