BIZNOTE: About the bare shelves at Rite Aid

That’s one of several photos Mike N. sent, showing bare shelves at the Rite Aid store south of The Junction. Other shoppers at Rite Aid and RA-owned Bartell Drugs have noticed dwindling inventory in recent months, wondering if that meant imminent closure. No, according to what the company’s telling customers as it emerges from bankruptcy (which officially happened two weeks ago). Mike also sent this photo:

That note on display in the store mentions restocking, suggesting the shelves will soon be replenished. We contacted Rite Aid’s media team to ask about that. Their response: “We are working diligently with our supplier partners to restock our shelves now that we have successfully emerged. We appreciate our customers’ patience while we begin restocking our shelves with products that will meet the changing needs of our customers.” We also asked if more store closures were planned, beyond the 500+ it’s closed nationwide: “There are no current plans for additional store closures in connection with bankruptcy proceedings or emergence.” Rite Aid is now operating as a private company.

Jay September 16, 2024 (2:50 pm)

It’s sad that we have to deal with the consequences of a small handful of men who can never have enough money.

Rhonda September 16, 2024 (5:21 pm)

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Quite sexist, Jay. Plenty of women executives, lawyers, accountants, and investors were involved in the Rite Aid bankruptcy and Bartells buyout.
- 1994 September 16, 2024 (10:28 pm)
  
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  No matter man or woman, those who can never have enough are just greedy.
  - Peretz September 17, 2024 (9:44 am)
    
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    “Thou Shalt Not Covet” Must be hard wired in the chimps brain to covet. Capitalism does not mean one chimp rules. Competition for better product and service is what it means. When the fat chimps buy legislators, we are back to monarchical rule.
    - ALI_D September 17, 2024 (11:21 am)
      
      I love the Planet of the Apes innuendo. It will be interesting to see how fast RiteAid can come back from this.
jj September 16, 2024 (5:23 pm)

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The CEO of Rite Aid is a woman
- WSB September 16, 2024 (6:32 pm)
  
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  Rite Aid’s news release says Matt Schroeder is the new CEO, taking over from Jeffrey Stein, and refers to them both on subsequent reference as Mr. You might be thinking of Elizabeth Burr, who preceded Jeffrey Stein.
  https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231015564047/en/Rite-Aid-Corporation-Appoints-Jeffrey-S.-Stein-Chief-Executive-Officer
Kay September 16, 2024 (6:24 pm)

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Pretty sure the CEO of Rite Aid has been a woman.
- WSB September 16, 2024 (6:27 pm)
  
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  If you’re referring to the Reuters report we linked – Rite Aid’s news release says the same thing:
  https://news.riteaid.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2024/Rite-Aid-Corporation-Names-Matt-Schroeder-as-Chief-Executive-Officer/default.aspx
- MR September 16, 2024 (7:18 pm)
  
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  That was 3 yrs ago!
Shawn September 17, 2024 (3:55 pm)

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I was a manager at one of their distribution centers in 2017 and everyone saw this coming. As soon as they weren’t allowed to merge with Walgreens it was over. Now the stores are run down, and the products they have are truck stop trinkets.

Sillygoose September 16, 2024 (2:55 pm)

Bartells and Walgreens have the same messages posted.

Joan September 16, 2024 (5:26 pm)

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Come to think of it, I went to Bartells the other day for batteries and they had none. I was taken aback. Now I see what happened.

Paula September 16, 2024 (5:51 pm)

I also noticed this at our California Rite Aide. I figured they were not selling enough of certain products that they kept it low to sell the amount they needed. I had no idea that they were in bankruptcy. I am happy to know that they made it!!!!! Rite Aide is a great company! I just hope they just sell products that sells not what doesn’t do they can stay alive. Ok.

East Coast Cynic September 16, 2024 (6:07 pm)

How about items that meet the daily needs of your clients. You can barely find a tube of Toothpaste with the ADA seal in that store. Hopeful to read that the situation may actually change.

CW September 16, 2024 (7:29 pm)

Empty shelves. Locked cabinets. Why even go through the hassle of going to a brick-and-mortar store when I can have it delivered to my door for the same price or less? Amazon is not my preferred store but it’s surely hard not to shop there.

Evan September 16, 2024 (7:33 pm)

I honestly don’t understand how they could ever be successful businesses again. Target or Safeway have basically everything drug stores used to have. Amazon has even more. Why do I need another store to buy toothpaste or diapers or cough medicine or peanuts at? Why should it be the same place I get my prescriptions filled? This business makes no sense to me at all in 2024.

Jason September 17, 2024 (2:05 pm)

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It isn’t about the store but rather the location (is it convenient). That’s the business model of Walgreen’s and Rite Aid.
Joe C September 19, 2024 (10:15 am)

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Why is this an issue for you. .just don’t go there.

Amy September 16, 2024 (8:08 pm)

Both Rite Aid locations are also out of photo paper for online orders. You can place and pay for the order, but they can’t print and have no timeline for getting more stock.

MacJ September 16, 2024 (8:55 pm)

I hope they redevelop that huge empty lot. It’s been a ludicrous waste of space for years.

WSB September 16, 2024 (9:25 pm)

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Rite Aid doesn’t own the land. The ownership corporation, while registered in Washington, was founded 34 years ago by investors in Singapore, per records. They bought it from Pay ‘n’ Save, which I presume (this is before we moved here in ’91) had a store there.
- KM September 16, 2024 (10:09 pm)
  
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  Interesting! I’ve always wondered about it. It’s a great parcel and perfect example of why land taxes (in lieu of property taxes) in urban settings are necessary.
- Paul September 17, 2024 (11:03 am)
  
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  Pay ‘n’ Save was acquired by PayLess Drug in 1992, which was later acquired by Rite Aid.
  - Jason September 18, 2024 (11:13 am)
    
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    It was once a Safeway

M September 16, 2024 (11:19 pm)

I used to go to Bartells all of the time. Ever since Covid, their shelves have been bare. I rarely go there now because of it. Got tired of having to go someone where else looking for something simple as Prilosec or Pepcid which I couldn’t find last week. I couldn’t even find a package of hard candy there last week!

WSresident September 17, 2024 (12:50 am)

They didn’t have bandaids, kids cough medicine or paper, yet the booze selections were always stocked 100% of the time. SMH

ALI_D September 17, 2024 (11:26 am)

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Most liquor is sold to retailers on credit, and for a while now that is all Rite Aid has had

Liz September 17, 2024 (8:06 am)

It sucks that Rite Aid bought Bartell’s and immediately claimed bankruptcy.

Lorna September 18, 2024 (6:47 am)

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I agree. Rite Aid should never have purchased a business they couldn’t afford.

Peter September 17, 2024 (8:19 am)

Unfortunately for them, many of us have found that a certain local online retailer has everything in stock all the time and also delivers. I don’t have any reason to go to any physical store unless my need is immediate, and RA has failed me in that respect.

NeighborLady September 17, 2024 (1:58 pm)

The narrative that this has been going on just for a year really odd. The shelves at Rite Aid and Bartell have been empty for YEARS. The second they took over Bartell the pharmacy suddenly was unable to function in any normal capacity. There is another story here.

Jason September 17, 2024 (2:04 pm)

This is so tiring. It’s like people don’t understand late stage capitalism. This is completely the fault of the economic system. So all you laissez faire types should insist on them failing.

Susie September 18, 2024 (9:30 am)

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Agreed.

Thomas September 17, 2024 (3:31 pm)

The real question ,why was a company with a troubled past allowed to purchase a profitable local company?

Stacey Jaye September 17, 2024 (4:28 pm)

Successful bankruptcy. Ha! I live in Michigan and ALL Rite Aids closed in my state and in Ohio. Rite Aid was the only pharmacy in my town, and we were told that our prescriptions were transferred to the Walgreen on Charlevoix, MI, 15 miles from my house. The Rite Aid there closed too, making it very difficult to get our scripts filled on time without waiting an hour or more in line. Successful bankruptcy would have been were ALL the stores were able to remain open and retain their employees. The same employees who asked for a over a year if they were going to be closed, and told no, only to learn in July that YES, you are closing, and if you don’t stay til.the end, you won’t get your measley severance. Those people had been there for years! Shame on Rite Aid! May they go the route of Perry’s and Revco!!

Julia September 18, 2024 (8:28 am)

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Same in Lewiston.

Hazen September 17, 2024 (8:03 pm)

I sure miss Pay Less Drug Store….

Cd September 18, 2024 (4:04 am)

The bankruptcy also stemmed from the opioid lawsuit.

Haider Ali September 18, 2024 (4:47 am)

Even Rite aid would restock the shelve, it can’t restock the customers who have gone to another pharmacies. Rite aid can do one thing that it should start Rock Music concerts in front of its stores.

Crystal Wright September 18, 2024 (5:10 am)

Yes I live in Michigan as well and had been going to the same Rite-Aide for years, then they closed and moved my scripts over to another one but it was fine because it was the same pharmacy employees handling it. But then I get a letter saying that this one is closing as well. Now they’ve sent my scripts to Walgreens in Redford, nowhere near me, but luckily I found one downtown and had them sent there. I just feel bad for the employees because they’re being shuffled around or maybe even have lost their jobs, only to hear that you’re making a comeback. I should hope that this “so called” comeback would include re-opening some closed facilities and giving employees their jobs back. Because alot of the one’s you closed were in high traffic areas and it was convenient for people to get to, and got plenty of business.

KR September 18, 2024 (12:42 pm)

In our little N Cal town of pop <15k we had two Rite Aids, so losing one was inevitable. The barren shelves of the other store made us figure were going to lose it as well. Fingers crossed that letter covers CA too.PS I’m all for the rock concerts in the parking lot idea, their parking area is huge and is rarely, rarely even filled, stocked shelves or not.🤘

Zach B September 18, 2024 (2:18 pm)

Over here in MI, they’ve closed all of their locations entirely.

Mariah K September 20, 2024 (2:24 pm)

As a Rite Aid employee; a lot of the problem came from THEFT. Rite Aid has one of the biggest theft problems. The place I work for just spent millions of dollars on renovations to LITERALLY lock up 90% of the product because people cannot be trusted. Now if you want an item, it’s behind glass and you have to ring a bell to have an employee unlock it for you. I certainly agree I worry about the future of Rite Aid because of how much they have had to go through just to try and bounce back. 🤞 Here’s hoping I don’t lose my job because of the mistakes others have made.