BIZNOTE FOLLOWUP: Here’s the ‘initial’ list of stores Rite Aid plans to close or sell

Thanks to Sharonn for the tip. Two days after its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, Rite Aid has disclosed the initial list of stores it plans to close or sell. In our area (West Seattle/White Center), the only store on the “initial closing stores” list is the Bartell Drugs store in WC (9600 15th SW) that already closed (three weeks ago). You can see the full nationwide list of 154 “initial closing stores” starting on page 23 of this document (for those interested in Burien, the list also includes a Rite Aid store at 110 SW 148th). In addition, Rite Aid is selling some other stores, but none in West Seattle and vicinity – that list is in this document (only one in the Seattle area is at 2707 Rainier Ave. S.) We’re still browsing the documents for any indication on when further closure/sale plans will be announced, but for now, the four West Seattle Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs stores are NOT on either “initial” list.

b w October 17, 2023 (5:02 pm)

Good riddance, hopefully the remaining stores follow soon. Bare shelves, long waits for pharmacy, incompetent employees, the list goes on and on. And they destroyed Bartell. Bye!

J October 17, 2023 (5:39 pm)

And you’ll open new pharmacies to serve customers who need them? There are jobs lost too.
- West Seattle Mad Sci Guy October 17, 2023 (10:07 pm)
  
  I do not like ‘b w’s attitude, but I have to agree with the sentiment. I have had such miserable help with the Bartells pharmacy staff (almost no doubt from overwork / understaff) when I had a problem transferring from QFC. First person was incredibly rude. The remaining just said they never received it and gave zero advice what to do next. I had to push to ask what I should do now that QFC already transferred it and they hadn’t received it? Everyone at QFC pharmacy was the opposite. They aggressively tried to help. Shame QFC dropped express scripts… Finally got it fixed only because of the lengths QFC pharmacy staff went to.
  - CarDriver October 18, 2023 (6:10 am)
    
    I’ve been pleased with Jefferson Square QFC’s pharmacy. However, I’ve also noticed that there seems to be a lot of different people behind the counter. Did hear the pharmacist telling a customer yesterday that this store has NO permanent staff. It’s staffed by employees that have been plucked from other locations to fill in. They’ve done a great job for me considering how disorganized corporate appears.
    - KVF October 18, 2023 (1:38 pm)
      
      QFC stopped taking my prescription insurance last year and I had was forced to switch to rite aid :(
Wsresident October 19, 2023 (10:12 am)

This is totally BS. The employees at Bartell are terribly rude, impatient (especially Jefferson Square) I left there LONG ago for rite aid and their scripts get filled 50times faster. I was never so happy to leave a store and not come back. There is a man Martin who works at Jefferson Square who thinks he’s a god and talks to people like they are pieces of garbage, especially older people which boils my blood.

Alkibean October 17, 2023 (5:04 pm)

Thanks for this news. I have been assuming that the Jefferson Square store was on the chopping block. We will see.

Socialcontract October 17, 2023 (5:53 pm)

With all the Albertsons/Kroger and Rite Aid/Bartell drama I’ve been expecting Sound Transit to negotiate a good deal on Jefferson Square.
- Rumbles October 18, 2023 (7:39 pm)
  
  A good deal from the school district?

Pauline October 17, 2023 (5:18 pm)

I miss Bartell white center! Rite Aid is horrible service. I only needed to drop off my prescription form and waited for more than 30min. The lady asked a gentle (who pretty much cut me in line!) if he had questions. Like seriously I just needed to drop off and can come back tomorrow! Bartell was really quick (less than 5 min to do any drop off of pick up meds that were ready). Sorry complaining lol

C October 17, 2023 (5:40 pm)

Rite Aid is one of the worst chains. Even when they call to say it’s ready and I go in NEXT DAY it never is. People literally do all their shopping in the PHARMACY LINE (Including dropping OFF prescriptions??). They’ve made mistakes with my meds. And I’ve even tried their “ship to home” option for medications and paid online and STILL have to pick them up in store because they just never shipped. Good riddance.

Brian October 17, 2023 (6:28 pm)

For all you folks saying “good riddance”, please understand that there will be no replacement pharmacies taking the place of closed Rite-Aid or Bartells locations. It’s just going to shift all of those customers to the remaining pharmacies and service will get worse for everyone.

datamuse October 18, 2023 (6:50 am)

Yeah. I moved from the Westwood Rite Aid to the WC Bartell years ago, and now have been switched back because the WC Bartell was closed. I’m sure Rite Aid will adjust but right now they’re overwhelmed handling all the additional prescriptions. In theory I’ll have a prescription ready today…but it’s a supposedly automatic refill they didn’t even process until I called. That kind of thing is why I switched in the first place.

Another One October 17, 2023 (7:08 pm)

What about Thrifty ice cream? If Rite Aid let’s Thrifty die I will cry for the rest of my life.

M October 17, 2023 (7:18 pm)

I always liked Bartells until it was sold. I barely go there anymore as the shelves seem to always be empty for the items I am looking for. I was never a fan of Rite Aid. The store on California Ave always looks dirty in overall appearance.

Jeff October 17, 2023 (7:20 pm)

Try Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs. Always less than local pharmacies and on time shipment. I’ve been very pleased with the service the last couple years. No waiting in line. Very professional company to deal with. Usually get my meds in 2-3 days.

Thomas October 18, 2023 (10:48 am)

Ah what a wonderful healthcare “system” we have that has to rely on the largesse of the American neo-monarchay and still can’t reach the low bar of being functional.Just FYI, there’s lots of medications they don’t carry because they can’t be mailed and many of the people taking those will not survive without them.

Gary October 17, 2023 (7:28 pm)

Other than jobs lost, it’s no big deal. In the 80’s there was a saturation of home improvement stores and a lot of them went bust. Now, & soon after, the remaining such stores are really profitable. Pharmacies are now in that 80’s boat, as we simply have too many & must thin the herd.

Rhonda October 17, 2023 (8:26 pm)

Costco is only a couple of miles from the north end of West Seattle and the Roxbury Safeway has a great pharmacy. The Westwood Village Rite Aid isn’t on the chopping block and they have a great drive-thru, as does the Admiral Bartells. Then there’s the White Center and…gulp…High Point Walgreens. We’re lucky to be pretty pharmacy-heavy in this region.

Morgan October 17, 2023 (9:46 pm)

Soda-ey fountains….that’s what drug stores today are missing by gum….and more candy. Make the popover for pill popping more fun.

Wes Sea October 18, 2023 (9:20 am)

LOL, I’d pop in for pills to partake in an old-fashioned sodee!

Graciano October 18, 2023 (12:54 am)

I think the Rite-Aid in Burien is already gone, The signage has been removed from the building.

Mary October 18, 2023 (3:52 am)

I live in northern NH. Littleton store is a bright clean store. Shelves always stocked . Prescriptions usually pretty fast. Got a flu shot appointment within an hour. We want to keep our store!

Michelle October 18, 2023 (8:48 am)

I use to work there and the other reasons why Riteaid filed bankruptcy is that they allow shoplifting and they refused to hire armed security and the reason they also sold prescription of one pill that cost over $10,000 per pill. They should have armed security but they are too cheap to protect their stores and employees, they do it because they can collect insurance money and that is insurance FRAUD!!!! They don’t want the staff to protect themselves from being stabbed or shot. It all has to do with collecting the insurance check and if I was the judge in the bankruptcy court I would have denied the bankruptcy

Sigh October 18, 2023 (9:24 am)

There are some drugs that can’t be mail-ordered. For some people, especially with their own or loved ones’ illnesses, leaving the neighborhood to get medication is really hard. No, Rite Aid is not amazing. But every pharmacy that closes is creating a hardship on people who already have hardships with their illnesses. When celebrating the closure of these stores, please be mindful that many people want them open because the NEED them, not because they love them.

norsegirl October 18, 2023 (3:52 pm)

Agree!

Steve October 18, 2023 (11:26 am)

2707 Rainier Ave S is also already closed. It was a Rite Aid pre-merger with a Bartells a couple of blocks away.

Aero October 20, 2023 (2:25 pm)

Oh no! What will us Americans do without a nearby pharmacy? There’s more pharmacy’s then public and private schools by an upward of 200,000. That’s a bigger issue then how incompetent and rude the rite aid associates are. It’s even more disgusting that people are complaining that out of the 315,980 +/- pharmacy’s the nearest and dearest one to them is leaving.

Sorry, comment time is over.