US Drugstore Retailer Rite Aid Shuts Down Its Last Locations

Rite Aid storefront

The major American drugstore retailer Rite Aid has announced the closure of all its remaining stores.

Over the weekend, the firm's website was updated with a notice indicating: "All Rite Aid locations have now shut down. We appreciate our dedicated customers for their many years of support." The website also included a option for customers to request their pharmacy files.

Established in 1962, the company was once a major drugstore retailers in the United States. At its peak, Rite Aid operated around 5,000 locations.

However in the past few years, the company encountered monetary difficulties and a federal investigation. As of last Friday under 100 locations remained.

Rite Aid had entered bankruptcy in October 2023 and then in mid-2025.

The company also faced legal troubles over its involvement in the prescription painkiller epidemic. In 2022, Rite Aid paid up to $30 million to settle lawsuits claiming it contributed to the flow of painkillers in the United States.

A year later, in its 2023 filing, the company indicated that reorganization would help it "resolve legal claims."

Rite Aid also faced a Justice Department lawsuit in which authorities alleged the company's locations processed illegal orders for oxycodone and fentanyl. The firm agreed to resolution in mid-2024.

Additional US drugstore retailers have likewise been shutting down retail locations across the United States, though various factors have been mentioned.

Since 2021, CVS has closed over 1,000 locations as part of a broader initiative.

In a similar vein, Walgreens, which was recently acquired by private equity firm Sycamore Partners, closed 500 locations over the past year.

Analysts have expressed concerns about expanding "drugstore deserts" in the United States, where millions of people reside without a drugstore close by and must commute to get medications dispensed.

Mary Nunez
Mary Nunez

A tech enthusiast and writer passionate about AI innovations and storytelling.