The Rite Aid at 1701 Route 9 in Clifton Park is still open today at the time of this article, but not for much longer.
Store managers confirmed that liquidation signage, prescription transfers, and final markdowns will begin “within the next two weeks,” making it the Capital Region’s latest casualty in the company’s bankruptcy wind-down.
Why Clifton Park’s store is Closing
Rite Aid filed for Chapter 11 protection again in early May after a 2023 restructuring failed to halt losses. Like its rivals, the chain was squeezed by:
- Falling prescription margins from lower insurer reimbursements
- Online competition—think Amazon Pharmacy and mail-order services
- Vendor and supply-chain friction, which dried up inventory and credit terms
- Ballooning legal costs tied to opioid litigation
With no turnaround in sight, corporate headquarters opted to sell assets and shutter most locations rather than attempt another rescue.
Eight waves, 829 closures
Since May 5, Rite Aid has announced store shutdowns in eight separate waves, wiping out roughly 64 % of its 1,277 U.S. pharmacies. The running total looks like this:
| Wave | Date Announced | Stores Closed (cumulative) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 5 | 47 |
| 2 | May 9 | 115 |
| 3 | May 16 | 210 |
| 4 | May 23 | 361 |
| 5 | May 30 | 472 |
| 6 | June 5 | 497 |
| 7 | June 6 | 704 |
| 8 | June 13 | 829 |
New York accounts for more than one-sixth of those closures, and the Clifton Park site was listed among the “next-to-close” locations in court filings released on June 13.
What happens now?
- Prescriptions – Customer files are being sold in bulk to CVS, Walgreens, Kroger, and Albertsons. If you’ve filled meds in Clifton Park within the past six months, expect an automated text or letter telling you which pharmacy now holds your script.
- Reward points and gift cards – They remain valid until the day this store’s registers shut off; after that, they’re worthless.
- Employees – Staff were offered severance or short-term retention bonuses and will receive 60-day WARN notices where required.
- Asset sale deadline – Competing bidders have until Wednesday, June 18 to make offers on any remaining Rite Aid stores or intellectual property. If multiple bids land, an auction is set for June 24.
