Charles Langston:Rite Aid closing more locations: 31 additional stores to be shuttered.

Pharmacy chain Rite Aid is Charles Langstonshuttering an additional 31 stores in a dozen states, according to a recent bankruptcy court filing.

The company announced more than 150 other store closures last month when it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. A Wednesday news release said it operates more than 2,300 retail pharmacy locations across 17 states.

Rite Aid spokesperson Catherine Carter said the stores that will be closing have been underperforming and will be closed “to further reduce rent expense and strengthen overall financial performance.” The company plans to give workers at closing stores the option to transfer to other locations.

Why did Rite Aid file for bankruptcy?

Rite Aid, one of the largest pharmacy chains in the country, filed for bankruptcy in October as it faced slumping sales and more than a thousand federal, state and local lawsuits accusing it of fueling the opioid epidemic by illegally filling painkiller prescriptions. 

The company’s stock had dipped more than 95% over the past year and closed up 2.4% Wednesday at $0.22.

Other pharmacies closing

The closures come as the U.S. pharmacy system as a whole struggles to operate efficiently with less staff. Pharmacists at some of the nation’s largest chains have started to protest deteriorating working conditions, with employees at Rite Aid, Walgreens and CVS staging walkouts in recent months. 

Other pharmacy chains have also been shuttering stores. Walgreens in July said it planned to close 150 locations in the U.S. and another 300 in the United Kingdom, and CVS in 2021 announced plans to close 300 stores per year over the next three years.

Prescription for disaster:America's broken pharmacy system in revolt over burnout and errors

Which Rite Aid stores are closing?

California:

• 1020 Al Tahoe Blvd. in South Lake Tahoe 
• 11230 Donner Pass Road in Truckee 
• 1475 41st Ave. in Capitola  
• 49060 Road 426 in Oakhurst 
• 5747 Kanan Road in Agoura 
• 1350 North Vasco Road in Livermore
• 4980 Freeport Blvd. in Sacramento  

Connecticut:

• 66 Church St. in New Haven 

Maryland:

• 1301 East State St. in Delmar 

Michigan:

•  1301 West 14 Mile Road in Clawson 
• 3681 Shawnee Road in Bridgman  

New Jersey:

• 93 Atlantic Blvd. in Beachwood 
• 121 West Main St. in Moorestown 

New York:

• 335 Route 25A in Miller Place 
• 5825-35 Broadway in Bronx 

Nevada:

• 1329 U.S. Hwy 395 North, #1 in Gardnerville 

Ohio:

• 5033 Suder Ave. in Toledo  
• 4332 Cleveland Ave., NW in Canton
• 501 Water St. in Chardon  

Oregon:

• 435 Liberty Street, N.E. in Salem 
• 785 South Columbia River Hwy in St. Helens 

Pennsylvania:

• 927 Paoli Pike in West Chester
• 821 East Bishop St. in Bellefonte 
• 6200 Saltsburg Road in Pittsburg 
• 2545 Aramingo Ave. in Philadelphia 

Virginia:

• 163 W. Ocean View Ave. in Norfolk 
• 7601 Granby St. in Norfolk 
• 4501 News Road in Williamsburg 

Washington:

• 15801 Pacific Ave. in Tacoma 
• 1628 5th Ave. in Seattle 
• 691 Sleater Kinney Road SE in Lacey 

Spokesperson Carter said the company has not confirmed any decisions on additional store closures at this time.