In a major shakeup across U.S. healthcare retail, both Walgreens and Rite Aid are closing hundreds of stores in 2025, sending shockwaves through communities already grappling with limited healthcare access.
Rite Aid’s Second Bankruptcy and Massive Shutdowns
Rite Aid, one of the largest pharmacy chains in the U.S., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy again in May 2025, its second filing since October 2023. The chain cited mounting debt and thousands of lawsuits tied to its alleged role in the opioid crisis. Since then, Rite Aid has already shuttered hundreds of stores, with plans to close hundreds more as it attempts to sell off locations to competitors.
Unfortunately, in many rural and underserved areas, that promised “transition” isn’t happening fast enough. Customers are reporting issues filling prescriptions, transferring records, and finding alternatives within a reasonable distance.
Walgreens: Fewer Headlines, But Still Downsizing
While Rite Aid’s closures dominate the news, Walgreens is also scaling back, though in a more calculated fashion. The company began shutting down dozens of stores in early 2025 as part of what it calls a “footprint optimization program.”
According to Walgreens, underperforming locations are being closed to help strengthen operations in more profitable areas. But for customers in those areas, this means longer drives and fewer choices for everything from prescriptions to vaccinations to routine care.
Which States Are Affected?
Walgreens has confirmed store closures in 33 states. Some of the hardest-hit areas include:
- California (San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento)
- Illinois (Chicago, Peoria, Danville)
- Colorado (Denver, Aurora, Boulder)
- Connecticut (Hartford, New Haven, Waterbury)
- Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin, among many others
For a full list of confirmed Walgreens closures by state, scroll to the bottom of this article.
A Healthcare Access Crisis in the Making?
These closures come at the same time as major hospital networks like Prospect Medical Holdings file for bankruptcy and scale back services. In Pennsylvania alone, over six hospitals have either closed or downsized, leading to overcrowded emergency rooms and longer wait times for care.
The simultaneous pullback of pharmacies and hospitals is raising red flags among lawmakers and public health advocates. With fewer places to pick up prescriptions or see a doctor, Americans, especially in low-income and rural areas, are being left behind.
What You Can Do if Your Store Is Closing
- Transfer your prescriptions early to another pharmacy (Walgreens will often do this automatically)
- Ask your provider to redirect prescriptions if needed
- Check your insurance network to ensure your replacement pharmacy is covered
- Consider mail-order options for regular medications
Bottom Line
The 2025 wave of Walgreens and Rite Aid store closures marks one of the biggest shakeups in U.S. pharmacy retail in years. As the healthcare system leans into consolidation and cost-cutting, everyday consumers are left to figure out how to keep up with their care.
If your local store is on the list, plan ahead.
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