Walgreens Closing 'Significant Number' Of Stores: See MD Impacts

MARYLAND — Walgreens has announced it will close a "significant number" of underperforming stores, following Rite Aid and others as pharmacy chains across the country continue to shrink.

The company operates at least 100 stores in Maryland.

Illinois-based Walgreens Boots Alliance announced Wednesday it is finalizing a "significant multiyear footprint optimization program" to close underperforming stores.

"We continue to face a difficult operating environment, including persistent pressures on the U.S. consumer and the impact of recent marketplace dynamics, which have eroded pharmacy margins," said Tim Wentworth, CEO of WBA, in the company's third quarter results report. "Our results and outlook reflect these headwinds, despite solid performance in both our International and U.S. Healthcare segments."

Currently, Walgreens has not revealed which stores will close in what states.

Walgreens has locations in the following Maryland cities:

• Aberdeen, Abingdon, Annapolis, Arbutus
• Baltimore, Bel Air, Belcamp, Beltsville, Berlin, Bethesda, Bowie, Brooklyn, Brunswick
• Cambridge, Catonsville, Centreville, Charlotte Hall, Chester, Chestertown, Cheverly, Clarksville, Clinton, Cockeysville, Columbia
• Denton, District Heights
• Easton, Edgewater, Edgewood, Eldersburg, Elkridge, Elkton, Ellicott City, Essex
• Fallston, Finksburg, Forest Hill, Forestville, Frederick, Frostburg
• Gaithersburg, Gambrills, Germantown, Glen Burnie, Grantsville
• Hagerstown
• Joppa
• La Plata, Largo, Laurel, Leonardtown, Lusby, Lutherville
• Mount Airy
• North East, Nottingham
• Oakland, Odenton, Olney
• Pasadena, Perryville, Phoenix, Pikesville, Potomac, Prince Frederick
• Randallstown, Reisterstown, Riverdale, Rock Hall, Rockville, Rosedale
• Salisbury, Severn, Severna Park, Silver Spring, Smithsburg
• Takoma Park, Timonium, Towson
• Upper Marlboro
• Waldorf, Westminster

According to the third quarter report, WBA sales increased 2.6 percent from the year-ago quarter to $36.4 billion, an increase of 2.5 percent on a constant currency basis, "reflecting sales growth across all segments."

The company announced last October it would be implementing cost-cutting measures to the tune of at least $1 billion. In the last year, WBA has had several rounds of corporate layoffs.

Patch Staff Writer Eric DeGrechie contributed to this story.