EVERETT — In Chapter 11 bankruptcy documents filed last week, Rite Aid listed it will close its store at Evergreen Way and Everett Mall Way, another Lynnwood Bartell’s, and a Rite Aid in Mill Creek as part of its first wave of store closures.
Its stores in Monroe and Snohomish were not on any closure list publicly available as of Oct. 19. In Snohomish, there’s both a Rite Aid and a Bartell Drugs. (Rite Aid bought Bartell Drugs in 2020.)
Court documents list 11 stores will close in Washington state among 154 nationwide for its initial wave of closures.
A future, additional wave of closures is stated in court documents. The Wall Street Journal reported the company has discussed closing upwards of 500 of its near-2,100 store portfolio.
The South Everett Rite Aid is in the shopping center also anchored by Hobby Lobby, Pep Boys and Grocery Outlet.
The store to close in Mill Creek is a Rite Aid along state Route 96 at 132nd Street SE (near Seattle Hill Road) in the shopping plaza anchored by Albertson’s grocery. A freestanding Bartell Drugs at Seattle Hill Road and state Route 96 isn’t impacted.
In Lynnwood, the Bartell’s in Alderwood, on 196th Street SW, is on the closure list. In September, the Lynnwood Bartell’s at 176th Street and Highway 99 closed, as did a Rite Aid in Edmonds.
Rite Aid also seeks to get out of leases early at seven more Rite Aid and three Bartell Drugs stores in Washington state; a judge will decide in November whether to allow this. Some of the stores listed are already closed, but the company still is paying the space lease. A real estate company is marketing these spaces to find replacement users, pending the judge’s OK.
No Snohomish, Monroe or Everett stores are on the lease-exit list, the Tribune saw.
Rite Aid filed for voluntary bankruptcy protection Oct. 15.
Government-led opioid prescription lawsuits hit all major pharmacy chains. Rite Aid, though, lags behind Walgreens and CVS in size and its ability to pay, and the company carries a large amount of debt.
Rite Aid entered Washington state by buying the Thrifty PayLess chain in 1996; Thrifty PayLess already had a big foothold in the state after it had bought nearly 150 Pay N’Save stores in 1988.
