Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A popular drugstore chain has announced plans to close 154 stores – including one locally - as it seeks bankruptcy protection.

Rite Aid has more than 2,200 locations in 17 states. It plans to close about 7% of its underperforming stores initially as part of efforts to position the company for long-term success, as it makes its way through the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process.

The company submitted a list of 154 stores in a court filing. Among those include the store located at 47300 Pontiac Trail in Wixom.

Other Michigan store closures listed include:

36485 Garfield Road, Clinton Township
35250 S. Gratiot Ave, Clinton Township
1900 E. Eight Mile, Detroit
25922 Middlebelt Road, Farmington Hills
1124 N. Ballenger Highway, Flint
2838 E. Court Street, Flint
24 W. Main Street, Fremont
29447 Ford Road, Garden City
715 S. Clinton Street, Grand Ledge
507 N. Lafayette Street, Greenville
3100 E. Michigan Ave, Jackson
2701 S. Cedar Street, Lansing
15250 24 Mile, Macomb
1243 U.S. 31 South, Manistee
51037 Van Dyke Ave, Shelby Township
109 N. Whittemore Street, St. Johns
102 N. Centerville Road, Sturgis
9155 Telegraph Road, Taylor

The company has not released any dates for when the stores will close. Rite Aid said in its bankruptcy court filing that it also may close additional stores.

That filing also noted that the company lost about $1.3 billion in the first half of its fiscal year. That’s more than double the $441 million it lost in the same period during the previous fiscal year.

The company said earlier this week that going through its voluntary Chapter 11 process will help significantly cut the company’s debt and resolve litigation “in an equitable manner.”

The Philadelphia company has struggled financially for years and also faces financial risk from lawsuits over opioid prescriptions like its bigger rivals, CVS and Walgreens.

Photo: Google Street View.