Over 2,100 New Yorkers Losing Jobs as Rite Aid Confirms Statewide Closures

Rite Aid is approaching its final days and is shutting down all of its stores in Central New York.

The massive drugstore chain entered bankruptcy for a second time earlier this month and said it planned to shutter or sell all 179 New York locations.

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The following week, 2 stores in the Empire State were marked for permanent closure. That number jumped to 7 a few days later.

At the time, the closures did not affect any Central New York locations... but that has since changed for the worse.

Rite Aid Announces Slew of Store Closures, Thousands of Layoffs across New York

On Tuesday, May 27, a series of WARN notices confirmed the future of Rite Aid in the state.

The drugstore chain announced it was closing 151 more locations. The list involved 30 stores from the Empire State, including 15 in Central New York.

The impacted local stores are as follows:

Cortland County

• 1067 State Route 222, Cortland

Genesee County

• 172 North Main Street, Gloversville

Montgomery County

• 149 Market Street, Amsterdam

Oneida County

• 4854 Commercial Drive, New Hartford
• 46 Kellogg Road, New Hartford
• 141 Oriskany Boulevard, Whitesboro
• 405 Erie Boulevard West, Rome
• 1924 Genesee Street, Utica

Onondaga County

• 113 Downer Street, Baldwinsville
• 5335 West Genesee Street, Ste 20, Camillus
• 7245 Henry Clay Blvd, Liverpool
• 5380 West Taft Road North Syracuse
• 519 Butternut Street, Syracuse
• 1820 Teall Ave, Syracuse

Otsego County

• 400 Chestnut Street, Oneonta

These locations will permanently shut down on June 4.

The WARN notices also confirmed about 180 local store employees will be laid off at the same time.

Statewide, the number of layoffs has grown to 2,136 people.

Why Is Rite Aid Going out of Business?

Rite has been struggling for several years and not just because of the pandemic.

The chain crumbled under financial pressure from ongoing opioid-related lawsuits, increasing supplier costs, and a strong shift in consumer spending due to inflation.

The chain, which is one of America's top 3 drugstore companies, previously declared bankruptcy in October 2023 and emerged from the proceedings the following September.

During that time, the company shut down about 60 of its New York locations and saved itself about $2 billion in cost-cutting measures.

Seven months later, the chain faltered again, with CEO Matt Schroeder saying the bad economy and tariffs served as the final nails in the company's coffin.

Schroeder declared Rite Aid would pursue all alternatives, including selling its assets to other buyers and minimize disruptions to both its employees and customers.

During that time, the company announced plans to close all 179 New York locations unless a buyer came forward.

Sadly, it looks like the company has been unable to keep the brand alive through a sale.

Customers who use the chain to pick up prescriptions are advised to work with staff to start transferring to other competing pharmacies to avoid interruptions.