Pharmacy Chain Planning Mass Layoffs In PA

PHILADELPHIA — A major retailer and employer in Pennsylvania is laying off hundreds of people at its headquarters in Philadelphia amid bankruptcy filings and closings.

According to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act filed with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, Rite Aid is laying off nearly 600 people at its Philly headquarters.

The notice says 595 people at Rite Aid's Philadelphia headquarters will be laid off by June 4.

Rite Aid's Philadelphia headquarters is located at 1200 Intrepid Ave., Suite 2.

Additionally, Rite Aid is laying off 501 people at its location in Etters, York County.

The pharmacy chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday.

Afterward, the company said all stores would remain open as it attempts to essentially sell all of its assets. But court documents filed Tuesday indicated otherwise, as they identified the stores initially slated to close.

Additionally, a flyer from A&G Real Estate Partners indicates that nearly all of Rite Aid's 1,240 stores will be listed for sale. The flyer reportedly lists 1,187 retail leases and 50 fee-owned properties across 15 states.

The first Pennsylvania locations slated for closure are:

• 304 Market St. – Harrisburg
• 23 North Elm St. – Kutztown
• 3773 Peters Mountain Rd. – Halifax
• 1039 2nd St. Pike - Richboro
• 843 Rostraver Rd. – Belle Vernon
• 400 West Second St. – Berwick
• Pittsburgh Intl Airport – Pittsburgh
• 209 Atwood St. – Pittsburgh

Rite Aid said customers can continue to access pharmacy services and products in stores and online, including prescriptions and immunizations. In connection with the sale process and court-supervised proceedings, the company said it is working to facilitate a smooth transfer of customer prescriptions to other pharmacies. Rite Aid has eight million pharmacy customers.