What does future hold for Bartell Drugs as Rite Aid files for bankruptcy?

With Rite Aid filing for bankruptcy, the future of Bartell Drugs and a number of its Seattle-area stores are up in the air.

Rite Aid, which acquired Bartell Drugs in 2020, filed for bankruptcy protection and plans to sell part of its business as it attempts to restructure while dealing with losses and opioid-related lawsuits.

The process will allow Rite Aid to speed up its plans to close underperforming stores, which the company has already done to several Seattle-area Bartell Drugs locations.

The Bartell Drugs on 15th and Market in Ballard permanently closed earlier this year, while an Uptown location shut its doors on Sept. 10.

Bartell Drugs also shut down locations in Lynnwood, Des Moines, and White Center.

That said, it’s unclear how Rite Aid’s bankruptcy filing will affect Bartell Drugs stores in the Seattle-area.

Bartell Drugs workers at a Burien location KIRO 7 spoke to on Monday say they haven’t been told what the future of their store or jobs might be moving forward.

Rite Aid did tell us does it plans to close more Bartell locations, but did not say where.

“Rite Aid regularly assesses its retail footprint to ensure we are operating efficiently while meeting the needs of our customers, communities, and associates,” a spokesperson said on Monday. “In connection with the court-supervised process, we intend to close certain underperforming stores to further reduce rent expense and strengthen overall financial performance.”

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