WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Pharmacy has completed its nationwide acquisition of select Rite Aid assets. The company now operates 63 former Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs stores across Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, and has acquired prescription files from 626 pharmacies in 15 states. As a result, CVS Pharmacy is now serving over nine million former Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs patients.
“We’re excited to have completed the acquisition of select Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs stores in the Pacific Northwest, as well as the acquisition of prescription files of hundreds of Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs pharmacies across 15 states,” said Len Shankman, Executive Vice President and President, Pharmacy and Consumer Wellness, CVS Health. “We’re helping maintain and expand access to convenient and trusted pharmacy care across the U.S. and growing our retail footprint and presence in local communities. From our innovative pharmacy care programs to our exclusive store brand products, we look forward to showing Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs patients and customers all that CVS has to offer.”
To increase capacity or fill open roles to ensure patients are well served, CVS Pharmacy has hired more than 3,500 former Rite Aid and Bartell Drug colleagues who were interested in joining the CVS Pharmacy team. In addition, the company has made targeted investments in existing CVS Pharmacy locations, such as scheduling additional support, enhancing recruitment and hiring, and strengthening training programs, to ensure the teams are best positioned to continue to deliver service excellence to all customer and patients, whether existing or new.
Bill Schiffner
Rite Aid bankruptcy asset transactions completed
In May, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey approved the sale of select Rite Aid assets to CVS Pharmacy. Following the court’s approval, CVS Pharmacy began moving through the transaction process. The entire process took less than four months and the last transactions, for the acquisition and operation of former Rite Aid stores in Bend, OR and Bainbridge Island, WA, were completed on September 30.
Helping to maintain convenience for the community and ongoing access to necessary prescriptions were the major factors CVS Pharmacy considered when deciding which stores and prescription files to purchase. Most CVS Pharmacy locations that received prescription files from Rite Aid are located within three miles of an existing Rite Aid store and nearly half are within a mile.
A trusted provider of accessible health, wellness and pharmacy care services, CVS Pharmacy offers thousands of products, including over-the-counter medications, beauty items, and better-for-you food options, such as the company’s Well Market consumables line, and delivers innovative health solutions that create a simpler, more accessible experience for patients, customers and caregivers. In addition, CVS Pharmacy is continuing to offer many of the local brands former Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs customers have grown to know and love.
A series of Grand Opening Block Parties, each featuring a DJ, food truck and product giveaways, will be held at some of the newly converted CVS Pharmacy stores in Idaho, Oregon and Washington throughout the month of October. A list of the community events can be found on CVS.com.
