The Slow Death of Rite Aid

Written By Rio Funatsu '25

Rite Aid, one of the most popular pharmacy chains in America, declared bankruptcy in 2023. Since then, the corporation has slowly closed down stores all over the nation. 

On Feb. 25, two days before the planned closure, the Meridian Ave. branch made its final goodbye. These images were taken a month before they closed their doors, as the store slowly cleared out all of its products.

Rite Aid Pharmacy
A sign at the door writes: “Thank you for trusting us with your health. On February 27th we will be moving your prescription…”
The stationary aisle is almost empty
A shelf in the soap aisle is completely empty
One side of the snack aisle has been cleared out
There are only a handful of gift bags left on the shelf
The 75 percent off “Markdown” shelf is all sold out
The back of the store is empty with a pallet jack stacked with boxes sitting in the aisle
A key copying machine and the photo service corner
Empty Thrifty Ice Cream section
The Rite Aid Pharmacy parking lot sign with the store in the distance
Rio Funatsu '25

Rio is a senior in her second year of journalism and the online ND newspaper’s co-Editor-in-Chief. She has been writing stories ever since she could hold a pencil, her everlasting train of ideas driving the ink. She balances her desk-time with basketball which she has been involved in since middle school. She is always writing articles in cafes, allowing the weekend coffee chatter to be her background music.

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