Rite Aid customers can expect their local store to close or change ownership in the next few months, as the struggling drugstore chain goes through another bankruptcy filing.
The company plans to sell customer prescription files, inventory and other assets as it closes distribution centers and unloads store locations. Stores will remain open for now, but the company isn’t buying new inventory so bare shelves are likely become more common.
“I think what we’ll progressively see is the stores will become more and more spartan,” said retail analyst Neil Saunders.
The company runs 1,245 stores in 15 states, according to its website. It has a heavy presence in New York, Pennsylvania and California, which alone has 347 locations.
Here’s what customers can expect next.
Rite Aid says a few months for most of its stores. All locations will eventually close or be sold to a new owner.
Until then, customers will still be able to fill prescriptions, get immunizations and shop in the stores or online.
Rite Aid has said that it will stop issuing customer rewards points for purchases. It also will no longer honor gift cards or accept returns or exchanges starting next month.
Rite Aid will try to sell them to another drugstore, grocer or retailer with a pharmacy. The company says it is worki