WHITEHALL — Last month, Rite Aid announced their plans to close most locations in the state of Michigan, a total of 165 pharmacies. Whitehall’s Rite Aid, located at 3263 Colby St., was included in the long list of closures.
The national company filed for bankruptcy last October and shared their plans to close 500 locations across the country. In June, they began announcing the closing locations in Michigan and Ohio.
Rite Aid is the second pharmacy in Whitehall to close in the past year, as Pitkin Drug and Gift Shoppe also closed its pharmacy last November. This leaves two available pharmacies in the White Lake area; Walgreens, located at 3284 Colby St., and Walmart, located at 2755 Holton Whitehall Rd. The increasing closure of pharmacies nationally has caused concern for many communities, especially those with high populations of complex patients who may struggle with traveling longer distances.
The increasing number of closures also means customers should prepare for longer waiting times and more stress for staff, as patient numbers overload remaining pharmacies. The increasing struggle of pharmacies in the state of Michigan has been credited to high amounts of debt and declining sales. Rite Aid, like other national pharmacies, were also dealt numerous lawsuits due to their illegal distribution of opioid painkillers, including a complaint filed against Rite Aid last year by the U.S. Justice Department.
Rite Aid in Whitehall said unless requested otherwise, all patients and pharmacy customers will automatically be transferred to Walgreens.
