Butler County Rite Aids to close
All seven Butler County Rite Aid locations are scheduled to close as the pharmacy chain attempts to cut back operations after seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for a second time earlier this month.
The closing of these locations and others come after previous Rite Aid filings stated that it would close 47 initial stores followed by 68 additional stores last week. Those closings combine with previous announcement for a total of 210 closures so far.
According to management at the Butler city location, 139 S. Main St., all Rite Aid locations across the country will eventually shut their doors, but when those closings will happen is yet to be determined.
Management said the Main Street store, which has about 20 employees, is scheduled to close June 3, according to the most recent information they were given by corporate management. That date could change, and other locations could be closing later in June.
In addition to the Main Street store, other Butler County locations set to close include 1520 N. Main St. Extension in Center Township, 200 Greater Butler Mart in Butler Township, 20480 Route 19 Cranberry Township, 221 Grove City Road in Slippery Rock, 115 Perry Highway in Jackson Township and 100 Seven Fields Blvd. in Seven Fields.
Management at the Main Street store said that while some locations — such as the one in Jackson Township — may not have been officially announced as closing by Rite Aid, more announcements will follow. The announcements eventually will include the closing of all remaining stores across the United States.
With the closures, the company is attempting to sell assets like prescription files and other goods to other retail stores, including CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens and Kroger.
Management at the Main Street location said all Rite Aids in Butler County have sold their prescription files to Giant Eagle, which is headquartered in Cranberry Township.
However, those who wish to use a different pharmacy, either local or chain, can do so by calling the Rite Aid where they normally had their prescriptions filled and letting them know where to send their files.
Butler Mayor Bob Dandoy said he is “disappointed and concerned” about the news of the downtown Rite Aid closing, as a lot of residents use the store for prescription drugs, and some grocery and other items.
While access to pharmacies will not go away totally in the county, Dandoy thinks the Main Street closure will take away the “convenience” of having a nearby pharmacy within the city limits for those without easy access to transportation.
Dandoy referenced the February 2024 Save A Lot closure at 2024 at Pullman Square, which took away a grocery source within walking distance for residents.
“We are entering a time where there are a lot of good things happening in the city,” Dandoy said. “But we have taken two hits with the grocery store and now the pharmacy.
“There is still a pharmacy within the city limits with The Medicine Shoppe. That is privately owned, which is nice, but we would like to have more than that.”
Pennsylvania is scheduled to lose the most stores, with more than 70 locations currently set to close.
Rite Aid also said CVS will take over some pharmacy locations in Washington state, Oregon and Idaho, but specific locations were not named.
Although all locations will cease to be Rite Aid stores eventually, Rite Aid is still seeking to sell some of them to other retailers, with an auction planned for June.
CVS has said it plans to buy prescription files for 625 locations, but that it was taking over only 64 physical Rite Aid stores.
At the time of its bankruptcy filing, Rite Aid said it owned 1,277 pharmacies, three distribution centers and has more than 24,000 employees across 15 states.
The Butler Eagle reached out to all Butler County Rite Aid stores, and all declined to comment except for the Butler location.
