BIZNOTE FOLLOWUP: Westwood Village Rite Aid now closed

| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | Westwood

The facade signage is gone and that hand-lettered sign on the door confirms that the only Rite Aid-owned West Seattle drugstore NOT converting to a CVS is officially closed. We first reported two months ago that the Westwood Village Rite Aid store would be closed as of today; the center’s owners have listed the space as available for lease, but no hint of a new tenant so far.

Of the other three Rite Aid-owned West Seattle drugstores, the former RA on California SW has already converted to a CVS; the two Bartell Drugs stores are set to do so within the next two weeks. Meantime, the South Delridge Walgreens – kitty-corner from the closed-and-sold ex-White Center Bartell store – is set to close September 10, as we first reported earlier this month.

Thomas August 26, 2025 (1:30 pm)

Spent their last twelve cents on the Store Closed sign I see.

Josh August 26, 2025 (2:41 pm)

Does anyone have any thoughts on what type of business this building could appeal to? It sits below the street level, not great signage, a drive through and pretty big space?We are trying to imagine what’s next.

Kyle August 26, 2025 (3:24 pm)

I wouldn’t be surprised if Walgreens ends up leasing this space after closing their 16th Ave location
Mike August 26, 2025 (3:39 pm)

Honestly, it would be a great location to move something like Starbucks. The current Starbucks in WWV doesn’t have a lot of seating. This would have lots more space to sit in, drive thru lane, etc.
- Jim August 27, 2025 (4:52 am)
  
  WAY too big for a Starbucks particularly for that location.
Rhonda August 27, 2025 (12:26 pm)

It’s probably the best drive-thru in West Seattle.

Juanita August 26, 2025 (3:43 pm)

We need a neighborhood drugstore. Not everyone has the mobility to get over to Walgreens on 35th or Rite Aid on California, and, now that Walgreens in White Center will be gone soon, only leaves pharmacy at Safeway on Roxbury for this neighborhood. And yes, well aware that there are online script services, but there’s something to be said to be able to actually speak with a pharmacist and get vaccinated for at least as long as we’ll be able to do that outside of a doctor’s office. They also had an interior Amazon locker which I think was the only one in that plaza. Perhaps the space could be split up to service 2 businesses-a drugstore and an office supply, both of which are needed.

Stephanie August 26, 2025 (5:00 pm)

I vote for Chic-fil-A or In N Out. Lol. It already has the drive thru.

Crafty August 26, 2025 (5:54 pm)

Honestly I would love some kind of craft store. Michaels is just too far away and I don’t really care for hobby lobby. I do like office supply store, yet there does need to be a drugstore in the area. I used to go to Bartell’s on Roxbury all the time and then I went to Walgreens on that corner. Now I just usually wait and go to the drugstore when I have to go for doctor’s appointment or something.

anonyme August 26, 2025 (5:56 pm)

Dick’s, please. Or some fish n’ chips.

ltmmgm August 26, 2025 (7:23 pm)

There is a Fish and Chip restaurant on 35th we ate there once, we’re more of the Sunfish type than this thick battered type on 35th. but it is there.

MacGyver August 26, 2025 (6:56 pm)

Did I read somewhere that the reason QFC and Target don’t have a pharmacy is because of Rite Aid being there? There really needs to be a drug store somewhere in Westwood Village.

Jim August 27, 2025 (4:54 am)

I don’t think QFC or Target really have the space free inside the store to put a pharmacy in even if they wanted to
Goddess Andraste August 28, 2025 (2:54 pm)

Yes, that’s correct. It was something built into the leases way way way back. Another example: when Barnes & Noble was being built, it was slated to have outdoor cafe seating. Target corporate found out and cited something in their lease about exclusivity, and B&N had to pivot during construction to close in the southwest wall where the cafe was instead of having big doors.

Tye’s Mom August 26, 2025 (8:24 pm)

Hello to any pharmacy folks who might be reading this. Thank you for providing the life-saving meds my dog Tye needed for the last several years. I enjoyed every interaction with you and my dogs loved the drive-up window option! I hope you all find success in your next adventure. Thank you for caring for us!

dRM August 27, 2025 (8:05 am)

Very nice!!!!

1994 August 26, 2025 (9:45 pm)

I hope the employees have other employment options. I used the WWV Rite Aid for years and appreciated the hours they were open in addition to the drive through. Sorry to see them close. I decided to go with Fred Meyer in Burien for my pharmacy needs because I am not a fan of Safeway, Walgreens, and never been to a CVS. My insurance said they cover any major pharmacy but not CVS so over to Kroger I go.

SLJ August 27, 2025 (8:11 am)

This is really sad for the community. Pharmacies are important for people who need to talk to someone about their prescriptions, get advice on other OTC meds, and get vaccinated. I wish CVS had chosen to keep this pharmacy open instead of one of the three on the north end. It’s always the same communities that lack grocery stores, and now pharmacies too,

Hungry Pilgrim August 27, 2025 (9:23 am)

I vote for a vegetarian restaurant with vegan options. Too much meat is being consumed and with beef prices skyrocketing, a nice Impossible Burger would be great!

S - Neighbor to West Wood August 27, 2025 (9:50 am)

With the amount of Crime that happened, I totally understand why CVS didn’t want to take it over.

BlairJ August 27, 2025 (10:12 am)

I spent a few minutes wandering through Total Wine & More in WWV. It made me wonder what is happening to our economic system when essential providers like grocers, pharmacies and office supply stores are closing, while a new vast alcohol warehouse store makes financial sense to its owners.

James S August 27, 2025 (3:16 pm)

So unfortunate to see Seattle locally owned & founded Bartell Drugs go away. I know they were sold to Rite Aid but now with Rite Aid bankruptcy goes away all signs of Bartell Drugs in the Seattle area. It’s interesting & crazy to me that Rite Aid was financially capable to purchase Bartell Drugs not long ago only to now have to file for bankruptcy & sell off to CVS. What occurred over the last decade for this to occur ? Bartel drugs was great and wil be missed. Love a locally founded, owned and operated store. We are losing more & more to consolidation and selling off to bigger corporations unfortunately. I guess that’s part of capitalism in America. Get rid of locally owned & operated for big box stores, corporate run stores just as what occurred during the pandemic with many local small businesses & local restaurants going out of business while Amazon, Walmart and chain restaurants made big profits and stayed afloat through it all.

The King August 27, 2025 (6:10 pm)

You hear those helicopters flying above? They’re not looking for capitalists, they’re looking for the reasons businesses in Seattle are closing
aa August 27, 2025 (7:42 pm)

During the pandemic people started ordering more online and have continued. I believe a shift happened where businesses reduced their inventory because less people were coming in to their stores. And lack of inventory caused consumers to look elsewhere for what they needed. Vicious cycle. You can’t make a profit from empty shelves.
k August 27, 2025 (8:01 pm)

CVS was unheard of in the Northwest 20 years ago. They made aggressive moves into the Pacific Northwest a bit over a decade ago, setting up stores close to Bartell’s and undercutting to put pressure on the local pharmacies. Bartell’s felt the pressure, then with the pandemic and an unfortunately-timed POS system upgrade that failed and cost the company money, recovery just wasn’t in the cards. Rite-Aid bought the chain for just $94 million, which is honestly not that much in the scheme of corporate purchases. Rite-Aid tried, but it’s hard to compete against CVS, whose parent company also owns and entire insurer as well as the PBM that controls 80% of all prescriptions written in the US, and has agreements with other insurance requiring all prescriptions go through CVS. CVS is the epitome of unfair business practices, but in a landscape of pro-business legislation, they basically get away with it, and have successfully driven the smaller local guys out of town. https://katv.com/news/local/cvs-health-sues-over-law-banning-monopoly-pbms-from-owning-pharmacies-in-state-cvs-health-corporation-is-suing-members-of-the-arkansas-state-board-of-pharmacy-over-a-law-restricting-them-from-owning-pharmacies-and-selling-drugs-retail-in-the-state
- WSB August 27, 2025 (8:34 pm)
  
  Since K has retold this, I should also again note CVS’s previous failed attempt to come into West Seattle. Where the Maris mixed-use building is now, CVS proposed building a single-story store with a drive-thru and big parking lot. The Southwest Design Review Board pushed back hard. CVS eventually gave up. This all played out 2013-2016 … last story in the series:
  https://westseattleblog.com/2016/07/no-cvs-after-all-drugstore-chains-plan-for-4722-fauntleroy-way-sw-apparently-dead/