2 More Rite Aid Stores To Close In Camden County

CAMDEN COUNTY, NJ — Two Rite Aid stores in Camden County will shutter soon, joining the growing list of closures as the pharmaceutical-retail giant navigates bankruptcy.

The following locations will close on March 17:

• 1360 Blackwood Clementon Rd., Clementon
• 249 Cuthbert Blvd., Haddon Township

Last fall, Rite Aid filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection amid financial losses and legal woes involving its alleged role in the opioid crisis. Before the filing, Rite Aid's plans called for closing up to 500 underperforming stores, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Several New Jersey locations have already shuttered, as Rite Aid continues to intermittently close locations amid the corporation's financial turmoil. Rite Aid has about 2,000 stores.

Rite Aid revealed 17 more upcoming closures — including the Haddon Township and Clementon stores — in bankruptcy court documents last Wednesday.

When asked about the local closures, a Rite Aid spokesperson re-iterated a blanket statement:

"Rite Aid regularly assesses its retail footprint to ensure we are operating efficiently while meeting the needs of our customers, communities, associates and overall business. In connection with the court-supervised process, we notified the Court of certain underperforming stores we are closing to further reduce rent expense and strengthen overall financial performance. At this time, we have not made or confirmed any decisions on additional specific store closures as part of our financial restructuring process."

With each closure, the retailer works to transfer prescriptions to another Rite Aid or nearby pharmacy to prevent any disruptions of service. Seventy-five percent of employees have accepted opportunities to transfer to other locations during the ongoing closure process.

Other drugstore chains, including rivals CVS and Walgreens, have settled similar opioid lawsuits, but were better positioned financially than Rite Aid. Those companies, however, are struggling and closing in a tough environment for national drug store chains as Amazon and big-box retailers like Walmart, Target, Costco and others make it more convenient to have prescriptions filled, CNN reported.

Walgreens shuttered its Glendora store in November. That location and the Rite Aid on Blackwood Clementon Road fall within Gloucester Township's borders.

During that same month, Rite Aid closed its Haddonfield store. The upcoming closure in Haddon Township will leave both locales without a Rite Aid location.

The following Rite Aid locations in South Jersey have also closed in recent months:

• 121 W Main St., Moorestown
• 1636 Route 38 Suite 49, Lumberton
• 1434 S Black Horse Pike, Williamstown
• 210 Bridgeton Pike, Mantua
• 108 Swedesboro Road Suite 20, Mullica Hill
• 1147 Cooper St., Edgewater Park

42 Freeway first reported the upcoming Rite Aid closures.