'I'm very disappointed' — Rite-Aid NY customers lament closing of all remaining stores

New Yorkers lamented the impending closure of their local Rite Aid stores this week, as news spread that the drugstore chain will soon shutter all its locations.

The company filed for bankruptcy a second time this week and will proceed to sell all of its assets — including its prescriptions, pharmacy and front-end inventory — a spokesperson for the company confirmed. In the next few months, all Rite Aid distribution centers will close and all stores will either close or be operated by a new owner.

According to Rite Aid’s online directory, there are currently 178 stores in New York state, and 60 in New Jersey.

Eddie Neuwirth has been living in the  West Village for 50 years and picking up his medication from the Rite Aid pharmacy there for just as long.

“I love this store and I'm very disappointed,” he said. “It was a very good drugstore, they took care of me, they were very friendly and they went out of their way.”

West Village resident Garbiela Marin said the store’s shelves had been emptying for months before the announcement.

“We inquired about it and they said they're like, 'Just restocking.' But that never happened,” she said. “And it's actually super sad because it's one of the few affordable stores in the West Village, so we feel bad for our elderly residents.”

Inside the store, the shelves near the front were fully stocked. But toward the back, many were either half-full, or nearly empty. The pharmacy was still busy, with a line of customers waiting to speak to pick up their medications.

Employees at the store said they weren’t sure what would happen to the store or their jobs.

According to Rite Aid, customers can continue to access the company’s services and products — including immunizations and prescriptions — in store and online.

The company said it was in talks with multiple potential buyers.