The Bartell Drugs store at University Village will close in January, marking another change in Seattle's drugstore landscape. This store, a local landmark, is part of the ongoing reduction of Bartell Drugs locations since its acquisition by Rite Aid.
Rite Aid is closing its University District store as part of efforts to improve its finances after filing for bankruptcy in October 2023. The company has been facing losses and legal pressures from opioid lawsuits. Since taking over Bartell Drugs in 2020, nearly 30 Bartell stores have closed. As spokesperson Alicja Wojczyk said, "While we have had to make difficult business decisions over the past several months to improve our business and optimize our retail footprint, we are committed to becoming financially and operationally healthy," as stated by KING 5 and The Seattle Times.
The University Village Bartell Drugs store, part of Bartell Drugs’ long history in the Puget Sound since 1890, will be closing. Rite Aid has confirmed it will work to reassign affected employees to other locations, stating, "After the University Village store closes, Wojczyk said Rite Aid would work to transfer associates to other Rite Aid locations if possible." The Bartell Drugs website currently lists 41 stores still in operation across King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, according to KOMO News.
