Grocery store and drugstore closures hit Pierce County

This collections of articles highlights the impact of recent grocery store and drugstore closures in Pierce County.

Rite Aid listed more stores, including three locations in Puyallup, for closure amid bankruptcy proceedings. Bartell Drugs, a Rite Aid subsidiary, also faces shutdowns with some sites transitioning to CVS. Meanwhile, Fred Meyer's closure of a store in Tacoma comes as part of Kroger's national reduction strategy.

The larger financial restructuring and strategic shifts by Rite Aid and Kroger reflect ongoing transformations in the retail landscape affecting local communities.

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The Bartell Drugs at 1850 S. Mildred St. in Tacoma is on the latest Rite Aid store closure list. Bartell is a subsidiary of Rite Aid.

NO. 1: RITE AID, BARTELL DRUGS CLOSURES EXPAND, INCLUDING IN TACOMA. HERE’S AN UPDATE

The closure is one of two Bartell Drugs sites in Washington state added in latest list. | Published June 5, 2025 | Read Full Story by Debbie Cockrell

Bartell Drugs at 3601 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, appeared on Rite Aid’s list of latest proposed store closings filed this month in bankruptcy court.

NO. 2: MORE WA RITE AID AND BARTELL SITES ADDED TO CHAINS’ STORE SHUTDOWN LIST

More than 20 Washington stores added on back-to-back lists filed last week in bankruptcy court; four of those are in Pierce County. | Published June 10, 2025 | Read Full Story by Debbie Cockrell

This is the sign on a Rite Aid Pharmacy in Pittsburgh, Pa., Tuesday, April 14, 2020. Rite Aid topped Wall Street expectations for the fiscal second quarter, Thursday, Sept. 24, and gave a revised annual forecast, one quarter after withdrawing it due to COVID-19 uncertainty. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

NO. 3: SEE WHICH RITE AID STORES IN PIERCE, THURSTON COUNTIES ARE ON NEW LISTS OF CLOSURES

Bartell Drugs also set to be rebranded with new name. | Published June 23, 2025 | Read Full Story by Debbie Cockrell

The Rite Aid at 11220 Canyon Road E., Puyallup, is on Rite Aid’s most recent closure list.

NO. 4: DRUGSTORE CHAIN’S CLOSURES CLAIM ANOTHER PUYALLUP LOCATION, OTHER SITES

Seven more stores statewide are in latest closure notification filed in bankruptcy court. | Published July 10, 2025 | Read Full Story by Debbie Cockrell

The Fred Meyer at 7250 Pacific Ave. is set to close in September.

NO. 5: THIS TACOMA FRED MEYER IS SET TO CLOSE AMID KROGER’S REDUCTION OF STORES NATIONWIDE

Plans call for 60 Kroger-owned stores nationwide to shutter over 18 months. | Published July 24, 2025 | Read Full Story by Debbie Cockrell

NO. 6: WHAT WILL BECOME OF BUSY SOUTH END STREET CORNER AFTER FRED MEYER CLOSES?

“It’s the epicenter. ... it’s literally our everything. It is our business district, that darn Fred Meyer, right there,” the South End Neighborhood Council chair said. | Published July 25, 2025 | Read Full Story by Debbie Cockrell

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.