Rite Aid, a national pharmacy chain, has confirmed its plans to close 154 underperforming stores across 17 states following its recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. The company’s financial struggles have been exacerbated by declining sales and a series of lawsuits related to its alleged involvement in the opioid epidemic through the improper filling of painkiller prescriptions.
The decision to shutter stores was revealed in court filings made on Monday, specifying that 38 of these stores are in Pennsylvania, 31 in California, 20 in New York, and 19 in Michigan. Rite Aid has not yet provided a response to the court filing regarding the store closures, but previously, company spokesperson Joy Errico assured that patient prescriptions would be transferred to nearby pharmacies to ensure uninterrupted services.
Rite Aid, which employs approximately 45,000 individuals, has expressed its intention to offer affected employees the option to relocate to other Rite Aid locations where feasible as part of its restructuring efforts.
