Rite Aid is now in the process of closing more than one hundred stores across the United States, following a bankruptcy court order approved in New Jersey. If you’re a customer of this pharmacy chain, here’s how many stores are closing — and where — so you can check if one near you is affected.
How many pharmacies is Rite Aid closing?
According to the company, a total of 114 stores are scheduled to close, and some have already ceased operations.
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Which Rite Aid stores are closing?
The closures are taking place in 12 states, with the majority happening in Pennsylvania. Below is the list of states and the number of locations shutting down in each:
- Pennsylvania – 42
- California – 27
- New York – 13
- New Jersey – 11
- Maryland – 2
- Washington – 7
- Delaware – 3
- Connecticut – 2
- Vermont – 2
- New Hampshire – 1
- Idaho – 1
- Ohio – 1
Why did Rite Aid file for bankruptcy?
Since 2023, the company had been facing economic difficulties, although it initially managed to exit bankruptcy through a Chapter 11 filing. However, the pharmacy chain struggled to fully recover and continued to face major obstacles.
One of the key issues arose when the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Rite Aid for violating the False Claims Act and the Controlled Substances Act, due to dispensing prescriptions without a legitimate medical purpose. This led the company to reach a multimillion-dollar settlement.
Additionally, in 2024, Rite Aid suffered a major data breach that exposed the personal information of 2.2 million customers. This security incident prompted a class action lawsuit, ultimately forcing the company to pay $6.8 million in compensation.
Can I still shop at Rite Aid pharmacies?
Yes. The company stated that during the bankruptcy process, pharmacies not included in the closures will continue to operate normally, allowing customers to keep shopping and access all available services.
What will happen to Rite Aid gift cards and rewards?
After filing for bankruptcy for the second time, the company informed customers that starting June 5, 2025, it will no longer accept gift cards, and will not process returns or exchanges. Additionally, it will stop awarding Rite Aid Rewards points, and all points already accumulated in members’ accounts will expire according to the program’s terms and conditions.
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History of Rite Aid
The pharmacy chain was founded in 1962 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, under the name Thrif D Discount Center. In 1968, its name was officially changed to Rite Aid Corporation, and one year later, it became the third-largest retail pharmacy chain in the United States.
By 1996, the company expanded to the West Coast and the Gulf Coast region through the acquisitions of Thrifty PayLess Holdings, Inc., Harco, Inc., and K & B Inc., adding more than 1,000 stores. In 2014, it acquired Health Dialog, which offers personalized health advice and disease management services through phone and live online health services.
In 2015, it expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of EnvisionRx (now Elixir), a full-service pharmacy benefit management (PBM) company. The company continued expanding its presence with the acquisition of Bartell Drugs in Washington, where it opened 67 stores in 2020.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, the company began administering global vaccines at all of its locations. Later, Rite Aid moved its headquarters from Camp Hill to the Navy Yard district of Philadelphia and, in 2024, completed the sale of its Elixir Solutions business to MedImpact Healthcare Systems, Inc.
