Ceremony Assist clients within the tri-state can anticipate their native retailer to shut or change possession within the subsequent few months, because the struggling drugstore chain goes by means of one other chapter submitting.
The corporate plans to promote buyer prescription information, stock and different property because it closes distribution facilities and unloads retailer places.
Shops will stay open for now, however the firm isn’t shopping for new stock so naked cabinets are probably turn out to be extra widespread.
Kings Park, N.Y.: Ceremony Assist positioned at 18 Indian Head Highway in Kings Park on Sunday, April 27, 2025. This Kings Park location missed its April fee, based on the property’s landlord (Photograph by James Carbone/Newsday by way of Getty Photographs)
“I think what we’ll progressively see is the stores will become more and more spartan,” mentioned retail analyst Neil Saunders.
The corporate runs 1,245 shops in 15 states, based on its web site. It has a heavy presence in New York, Pennsylvania and California, which alone has 347 places.
Right here’s what clients can anticipate subsequent.
How lengthy will Ceremony Assist shops stay open?
Ceremony Assist says a number of months for many of its shops. All places will ultimately shut or be bought to a brand new proprietor.
Till then, clients will nonetheless have the ability to fill prescriptions, get immunizations and store within the shops or on-line.
Ceremony Assist has mentioned that it’s going to cease issuing buyer rewards factors for purchases. It additionally will now not honor present playing cards or settle for returns or exchanges beginning subsequent month.
Will my native Ceremony Assist retailer shut?
Ceremony Assist has not specified which of its 1,245 shops will shut, solely saying that every one shops will both shut or be bought to a brand new proprietor. It is unclear which particular shops will shut.
What’s going to occur to my prescription information at Ceremony Assist?
Ceremony Assist will attempt to promote them to a different drugstore, grocer or retailer with a pharmacy. The corporate says it’s working to place collectively a “smooth transfer” of buyer prescriptions to different pharmacies.
However there’s no assure these information will wind up at a retailer close to the situation that’s closing.
Which may be difficult as a result of some Ceremony Assist shops are in rural areas, miles away from one other pharmacy, famous Saunders, managing director of the consulting and information evaluation agency GlobalData.
Prescription information might be precious property as a result of they’ll join the buying drugstore with a daily buyer if that particular person sticks with the brand new retailer.
Getty Photographs
Getty Photographs
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES – SEPTEMBER 11: Empty cabinets are seen at a Ceremony Assist constructing in Queens, New York, United States on September 10, 2024. One of many largest American retail pharmacy chains, Ceremony Assist emerges from chapter with about $2 billion in exit financing. (Photograph by Selcuk Acar/Anadolu by way of Getty Photographs)
How did Ceremony Assist get thus far?
Philadelphia-based Ceremony Assist had been closing shops and fighting losses for years earlier than its first chapter submitting in 2023. The corporate says its “only viable path forward” is a return to Chapter 11 chapter proceedings.
The corporate mentioned in letter to distributors that it has been hit with a number of monetary challenges which have grown extra intense.
“For more than 60 years, Rite Aid has been a proud provider of pharmacy services and products to our loyal customers. While we have continued to face financial challenges, intensified by the rapidly evolving retail and healthcare landscapes in which we operate, we are encouraged by meaningful interest from a number of potential national and regional strategic acquirors,” mentioned Ceremony Assist CEO Matt Schroeder in a press launch. “As we move forward, our key priorities are ensuring uninterrupted pharmacy services for our customers and preserving jobs for as many associates as possible.”
Ceremony Assist and its opponents have been coping with tighter earnings on their prescriptions, elevated theft, courtroom settlements over opioid prescriptions and clients who’re drifting to on-line buying and low cost retailers.
Walgreens, which has greater than six instances as many shops as Ceremony Assist, agreed in March to be acquired by the non-public fairness agency Sycamore Companions.
CVS Well being additionally has closed shops.
