There are basically three major pharmacy stand-alone chain stores that are the industry’s heavy hitters. Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid.

All have had a tough go at it in the past couple of years, shuttering locations and facing opioid lawsuits. Now, Rite Aid just announced that they are laying off 233 Americans as part of another restructuring.

Rite Aid is closing a major distribution center that they have in New York on Jan. 1, 2025, and with that, 233 employees will be laid off.

The center, located in Liverpool, N.Y., currently employs 260 people. The company is choosing to only retain about 30 of those employees.

This is especially depressing because this location has been operating and employing people since 1973. Rite Aid made a statement about the displaced employees.

The company said the affected employees, who are not represented by a union. will receive a severance package, COBRA benefits and “outplacement support.”

This comes at a time where Rite Aid is struggling as a whole. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2023 and then exited bankruptcy a year later.

The company also recently announced a massive number of stores shutting down.

According to FierceHealthcare.com, the company has slimmed its footprint considerably as it now has about 1,416 stores in 16 states.

It’s a tricky time for brick-and-mortar pharmacy stores in today’s economy. They are having to deal with giants like Amazon and Walmart, who are widening their online prescription footprints, while Rite Aid is lessening theirs.