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Walgreens, the country’s second-largest pharmacy chain, will close three locations in Colorado Springs next month as part of its ongoing effort to close 500 stores nationwide.
Here is a list of the stores that will be closing:
- 1920 S. Chelton Road — closing April 24
- 350 N. Union Blvd. — closing April 28
- 4713 Flintridge Drive — closing April 29
“Our retail pharmacy business is central to our go-forward business strategy. However, increased regulatory and reimbursement pressures are weighing on our ability to cover the costs associated with rent, staffing, and supply needs. It is never an easy decision to close a store,” said Brigid Sweeney, the company’s senior manager of media relations, in an emailed statement.
Company executives have said that a quarter of the company’s 8,700 U.S. stores are unprofitable, and to reverse losses, they will close 1,200 locations, including 500 in the company’s current fiscal year, which began Sept. 1.
“When closures are necessary, like the ones in Colorado Springs, we will work in partnership with community stakeholders to minimize customer disruptions. We intend to redeploy the majority of our team members from those stores that we close,” she said.
Patients who get their prescriptions filled at this location do not need to take any action. They will be notified by mail and their prescriptions will be automatically transferred to a nearby Walgreens.
Patients who filled their prescriptions at the Chelton Road location will be transferred to the pharmacy at 303 S. Circle Dr., while those at the Union Blvd. location will be transferred to a store at 920 N. Circle Dr. Customers of the Flintridge Drive location will be transferred to the Walgreens at 2785 Dublin Blvd.
Two Walgreens locations in Colorado Springs have closed in recent months: 3143 W. Colorado Ave. and 4305. E. Platte Ave. Eight stores have been closed in metro Denver.
Walgreens stores recently closed in Denver metro
- 12051 E. Mississippi Ave., Aurora
- 10501 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora
- 15301 E. Iliff Ave., Aurora
- 6395 Sheridan Blvd., Arvada
- 3555 Colorado Blvd., Denver
- 6360 E. Evans Ave., Denver
- 300 S. Federal Blvd., Denver
- 1601 W. 84th Ave., Federal Heights
After a period of rapid expansion in the prior two decades, the country’s three largest pharmacy chains are rapidly shrinking their footprints, with CVS saying it has a three-year plan to close 900 locations and Rite Aid shedding more than 800 locations as it emerges from bankruptcy.
Oversaturation, competition from online providers and reduced reimbursement rates from pharmacy benefit managers, which negotiate rates on behalf of large volume buyers, have made it much more difficult for the drugstore chains to maintain a profit.
Retail and restaurant chains of all stripes are under intense pressure. Clothing and cosmetic retailer Kohl’s this weekend will complete a previously announced closure of 27 stores, including its Arapahoe Crossing location at 6584 S. Parker Road in Aurora. Joann Fabrics is closing down all 800 of its locations, including five in Colorado, after a second trip into bankruptcy and Forever 21 plans to shutter all 350 of its stores, including five in Colorado, by May 1.
Del Taco abruptly closed 18 out of 19 Colorado locations late last month and On the Border Mexican Grille & Cantina recently closed its Loveland location, one of 70 it is dropping as it restructures.
Updated: 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, four stores were removed from the list of stores that are closing. Updated 9:13 a.m. Thursday to include three Colorado Springs locations closing in April.
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