BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — According to the New York State Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) dashboard, dozens of Rite Aid stores in Western New York are slated to close their doors beginning on June 4.
With those closures, some smaller pharmacies are working to step up to help Rite Aid pharmacy customers who are scrambling to find a new spot to get their scripts filled.
This has a sweeping impact across the state and we're bringing you the voices of a Rite Aid pharmacist, a former Rite Aid pharmacy customer and the Jericho Road Community Health Center as it works to help neighbors in need.
Sol Estrada is a pharmacist at the Rite Aid on Jefferson and William, and she said she's worried for her customers.
"The store provides food and baby supplies and other basic living necessities to the people of this neighborhood, and I know other Rite Aids do that as well," Estrada said.
One customer in the store while we were there said, "It is really a shame. And why? Almighty dollar?"
Former Rite Aid customer Diane Colkey agreed.
"I think they shouldn't close the Rite Aids up because people that live in the neighborhood need that Rite Aid," she said. "But now that they close up, they're gonna have to find another place for their prescription."
A couple of years ago, Colkey switched from Rite Aid to the pharmacy at the Jericho Road Community Health Center at 1021 Broadway.
Jericho Road operates two pharmacies, one on Broadway and the other on Barton Street. They said they're ready to take in Rite Aid patients. The pharmacy is already seeing an influx of new customers.
"It really is a devastating loss for the community to have a big chain like that closing," pharmacist Sharell Shah said. "I'm just really happy that Jericho Road is here to stand in the gap. And to be able to start accepting really anyone."
