Rite-Aid stores with empty shelves/possible closure?
Posted by endofbeanz1@reddit | PrepperIntel | View on Reddit | 29 comments
I ran into the "big" Rite-Aid near me today to grab a bday card and some candy to supplement a birthday present and half the shelves were empty. A few weeks ago I picked up some prescriptions at the "small" Rite-Aid I usually go to and it was the same, possibly even less stocked. What was there was mostly single items, the duplicates were next to each other instead of stacked on the shelves. I was talking to my FiL at the birthday party and he said there Rite-Aid is the same way.
I asked an employee and the only answer I got was "hopefully we will get more stock in April." I asked if they were going out of business and got an uncomfortable "I don't think so?" Is anyone else seeing this?
Demians_Trouble@reddit
They are going through chapter 11 and have been closing numerous stores around the country.
since each stores individually owned, the owners don't want to get caught off guard with the store full of supplies and be told by corporate that they're to close the store, so most owners aren't stalking your shelves.
unfortunately, they're looking at the bigger picture. the less stock they carry the less customers they're going to have. it's a supply and demand thing if you don't supply it they're going to go somewhere else for the demand.
As this trend keeps up with rite aid, they're chapter 11 is not going to succeed, for they will no longer have the customer base to keep it going. it's unfortunate that this is happening, but it's reality of today's times, or more people are shopping on the internet rather than going to brick and mortar locations.
Thellandis@reddit
Riteaid stores are not individually owned.
Ritraid stores haven't been stocked because 1. Just came out of a bankruptcy the tail end of 2024 and 2. They now have to have money upfront to purchase stock, suppliers won't do it on credit anymore. 3. Theft is high at my store and it just walks out the door... 4. ritraid just filed for bankruptcy again May 5th and will be closing all stores, those that do remain open will be under a different name.
Opposite-Rough-5845@reddit
One I occasionally shop at has been empty shelved for awhile.
CryptographerBest482@reddit
FIRST, I'll point out that the pharmacy dept at my local Rite-Aid is doing fine, filling all my many scripts promptly. On the other hand, yeah, there are many empty shelves. All I can count on is soft drinks, ice cream, and greeting cards. I don't bother to go in there for most shopping.
NoTicket9664@reddit
I hope rite aid and CVS rot in hell. Also Walgreens sucks. Bring back the mom and pops. I hope they all go down.
cheesenpie@reddit
They’re going bankrupt. Most of the stores by me have already closed. The one store I know is still open is also empty and has almost no stock. Employees told me there was some issue with breaking the lease (it’s in a strip mall) and it was cheaper to keep a mostly empty store open. It’ll close eventually.
NorthRoseGold@reddit
you still have rite aid???
endofbeanz1@reddit (OP)
Yes, quite a few in PA still
HappyAnimalCracker@reddit
Right?? I didn’t know there were any left!
Dissasociaties@reddit
Walgreens purchased Rite Aid but the government launched an antitrust lawsuit. Rite Aid remained a corporate entity because of the government lawsuit and kept their best performing stores. Walgreens got all the crap stores and made everyone miserable with short staffing.
HappyAnimalCracker@reddit
Ahhh. I hadn’t heard that part.
Ours sat empty for a year and finally became a dollar store. Not happy to see that roll in but kinda glad it didn’t become a Walgreen’s either.
VideoAffectionate417@reddit
We still have one in my town here in Ohio. I haven't seen these issues there. The shelves are always stocked and the store is always busy.
Rip1072@reddit
Don't know but all Rite-Aid stores in upper Michigan were closed and the buildings put on the market.
IntoTheMirror@reddit
Rite Aids have been like this for a while now. That company is toast.
yeet_bbq@reddit
Amazon devoured all of their business. These stores should have closed years ago.
Clear-Implement-9290@reddit
Yes. They are closing down.
Gonna_do_this_again@reddit
Mine just finished closing
hotdogbo@reddit
We had a walgreens in a similar situation and they closed down in a few months.
suddenlysuperb@reddit
All of them in our area closed. Bright side, amazing clearance and mark downs. Bought a ton of bandages, non perishables, etc.
ShrimpyCrustacean@reddit
They filed for bankruptcy last year and closed hundreds of stores, and it looks like they are maybe going to file for bankruptcy again.
Our store that closed basically had the same story - they couldn't restock anything, the employees didn't know what was going on and were insisting up until the very end the store wasn't closing, and then they shut it all down and transfered everyone's prescriptions elsewhere.
PixelPaw99@reddit
Didn’t know they were still around. Last years round of closures closed all of them in my state, not just underperforming stores. I thought the company folded entirely.
Alarmed_Initial7122@reddit
I was able to find any story about it but someone I knows in law was laid off from rite aid in the last month and he was a VP. Seems they are just decaying away.
My guess with out actually looking in to it, is they were bought out by some VC and are being bled dry.
dogmom412@reddit
Most of the Rite Aids local to me (WesternPA) are the same. I get my prescriptions at one but don’t shop there.
RidingUpFromBangor@reddit
As mentioned, it’s the bankruptcy. The one near me has been like this for a full year. The employees aren’t too cagey, about it, they told me exactly what was going on. Ironically, it used to be the best liquor store in town. 6 months ago, it was down to the cheap plastic handles of stuff like Clan McGregor and Borski, with the occasional rye or silver rum. Last weekend it was down to a single bottle of Fireball. I did find a wrist brace for my wife, but if you want deodorant or toothpaste, you can’t be picky.
Honest_Persimmon_859@reddit
Damn, wouldn't have expected the Fireball to outlast the Clan McGregor on the shelves.
thethingfrombeyond@reddit
What happens when biggest insurer is the same as the biggest pharmacy
Present_Figure_4786@reddit
Noticed the same at our local Rite aid. They do a banging prescription business though as they are the only pharmacy around.
Vegetable_Ad_7703@reddit
From what I've seen some drug stores keep almost nothing on the shelves to lessen losses from theft.
middleagerioter@reddit
They filed chapter 11 a year or two ago and have been closing under performing stores since then as well as scaling back on items they stock.