Nope, those SLO County Rite Aids aren’t closing. So what’s up with the empty shelves?
The bankruptcy of major drug store corporation Rite Aid has left some San Luis Obispo County drug stores understocked — and customers are starting to notice.
In recent weeks, multiple local Rite Aid customers posted to Nextdoor complaining of empty shelves and back-ordered prescriptions.
Customers on Nextdoor from Morro Bay, South County, San Luis Obispo and other locations across the county reported shortages of food, personal care items and some medications.
“Same thing in (Morro Bay) and Atascadero! I can’t find hair products, lipsticks, Scotch that I’ve bought there for years. It looks as though 20% of shelves are totally empty,” a Cayucos resident wrote on Nextdoor. “I’ve been told it is in bankruptcy; I expect a ‘closed’ sign every time I go to one of the locations.”
Other users said in addition to empty shelves, some prescriptions have not been filled on time in recent weeks.
The Tribune took a look at four Rite Aid stores to find what’s out of stock — and determine why inventory is lacking — as part of its Reality Check series.
Bankruptcy limits San Luis Obispo County drug store inventory
Rite Aid is one of the largest drug store retailers in the United States, but has closed more than 200 stores across the country since filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year.
The corporation will close more than 20 locations in California this year according to Feb. 28 court filings.
San Luis Obispo County, meanwhile, is home to 10 Rite Aids:
1251 Johnson Ave., San Luis Obispo
956 Foothill Blvd., San Luis Obispo
1110 Los Osos Valley Road, Baywood-Los Osos
740 Quintana Road, Morro Bay
7025 El Camino Real, Atascadero
1151 Creston Rd., Paso Robles
2424 Spring St., Paso Robles
531 5 Cities Drive, Pismo Beach
1690 E Grand Ave., Arroyo Grande
1207 E Grand Ave., Arroyo Grande
The company has no immediate plans to close any San Luis Obispo County locations, a Rite Aid spokesperson told The Tribune.
The under-stocked shelves at some of its locations are just the result of the bankruptcy process, the spokesperson said.
“We are diligently working with our supplier partners to restock our shelves during our Chapter 11 process, during which we continue to successfully meet major milestones on our way to becoming a stronger, financially healthy company,” the spokesperson said in an email.
At four San Luis Obispo County Rite Aid locations in San Luis Obispo, Grover Beach and Pismo Beach, The Tribune observed multiple unstocked shelves that normally carried feminine hygiene products, shaving and grooming products, food and other personal care items.
Individual store managers were not available to comment on the stock issue or potential business decisions.
“We appreciate our customers’ patience while we restock our shelves and encourage them to talk with our store associates, who would be happy to recommend alternative products if something is temporarily unavailable,” the Rite Aid spokesperson said.
