Popular Washington Pharmacy Is Closing How Will It Affect Other Stores?

A popular pharmacy in Tacoma has closed recently and locals are concerned.

Walgreens posted "closing soon" signs at its location at 5602 Pacific Avenue. There are other Walgreens pharmacies close by at 37th Street and Pacific and another at 84th and Pacific. Those are the two closest. However, citizens are concerned that prescription pick up lines will be longer than usual. People are going to have to drive further to get their needed prescriptions.

Walgreens is closing 150 stores nationwide by the end of the summer.

According to reports, the company has laid off hundreds of employees. But why was the Tacoma Walgreens targeted for closure? According to the company, multiple factors contributed to this particular location closure, including changes in the buying habits of customers and "an oversaturated footprint in the area, leading to an unsustainable business performance."

In Washington, there are currently 132 Walgreens stores open. As of today, the Tacoma location at 56th and Pacific Avenue is the only store marked for closure.

The reasons why other drug stores and pharmacies are closing are many.

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Rising drug prices, lower staff enrollment, and opioid lawsuits are among the reasons your neighborhood pharmacy could be a target for closure. Some people believe crime may have been a factor in the Tacoma Walgreens closure. Rite Aid is closing another 53 locations after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last year.

I am a customer of a Kennewick independent pharmacy and couldn't be happier. There's hardly ever a wait, and customer service is exceptional.