Hood River’s Rite Aid location was the latest wave of closures after the pharmaceutical company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2023.Noah Noteboom photo
Hood River’s Rite Aid location was the latest wave of closures after the pharmaceutical company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2023.Noah Noteboom photo
THE GORGE — On June 6, the Hood River Rite Aid store became the latest location to close its doors for good. The store at 2049 W. Cascade Ave. was one of 68 in the latest wave of closures.
In 2023, the drugstore chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. This allowed the company to begin the sale of prescriptions, front-end inventory and other assets. In May, CVS Health announced they had purchased the prescription files of 625 Rite Aid pharmacies, as well as acquiring 64 physical locations in Oregon, Washington and Idaho.
In a letter to customers, the pharmaceutical company said: “Rite Aid has experienced a number of financial challenges that have intensified as a result of the rapidly evolving retail and healthcare landscapes in which we operate.”
The Dalles location on 1400 W. Sixth closed permanently on May 13 and sources told Columbia Gorge News that patient prescription files had been bought by Safeway and Fred Meyer. Some pharmacy employees were transferred to other locations and other employees were offered help with updating their resume and practicing for interviews.
Sources said that Hood River Rite Aid’s next door neighbor, Top to Bottom, is also moving out of their Hood River storefront to Portland. Once Rite Aid’s 20,000-square-foot space has been cleared of merchandise, it will be put up for sale, but according to sources, there has been zero interest from prospective buyers.
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