Listen to this articleThe basics:
- CVS completes acquisition of prescription files from 626 Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs locations across 15 states
- Deal includes records from 42 former Rite Aid pharmacies in New Jersey
- CVS said the move expands access to pharmacy care and serves more than 9 million new patients
CVS Pharmacy completed its acquisition of customer prescription files from hundreds of closed Rite Aid stores nationwide, including 42 locations in New Jersey.
In addition to prescription files from 626 stores across 15 states, CVS took over 63 former Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs outposts in Idaho, Oregon and Washington, the Rhode Island-based chain announced in an Oct. 15 press release.
As a result of the transactions, CVS said it now serves more than 9 million patients who formerly had their prescriptions filled at either Rite Aid or Bartell Drugs. According to a CVS spokesperson, the company received prescription files from 42 former Rite Aids in New Jersey.
Most of those prescription transfers occurred between June and August, according to a list provided by the media rep.
Former Rite Aid files will move to CVS from these locations:
- Atco 375 White Horse Pike
- Barrington 501 Clements Bridge Road
- Belvidere 2 Upper Sarepta Road
- Bergenfield 10 Portland Ave.
- Brick 1041 Burnt Tavern Road
- Brooklawn 702 Browning Road
- Burlington 2093 Route 130
- Cherry Hill 1360 Brace Road
- Cherry Hill 823 Cooper Landing Road
- Cinnaminson 1210 Route 130
- Clayton 236 S. Delsea Drive
- Clementon 101 White Horse Pike
- Clifton 1366 Clifton Ave.
- Collingswood 664 Haddon Ave.
- Deptford 860 Cooper St.
- Edison 10 Lincoln Highway
- Forked River 101 S. Main St.
- Gibbstown 380 Harmony Road
- Jackson 1 N. New Prospect Road
- Laurel Springs 1492 Chews Landing Road
- Lavallette 702 Grand Central Ave.
- Manchester 2101 Route 70
- Medford 409 Stokes Road
- Millville 907 N. High St.
- Pennsauken 4902 Westfield Ave.
- Phillipsburg 755 Route 22
- Sewell 490 Hurffville-Crosskeys Road
- Somerdale 608 N. Warwick Road
- Somerville 132 N. Gaston Ave.
- Stratford 100 Warwick Road
- Toms River 31 Mule Road
- Toms River 811 Fischer Blvd.
- Tinton Falls 596 Shrewsbury Ave.
- Trenton 1801 Kuser Road
- Vineland 1889 S. Lincoln Ave.
- Vineland 970 N. Main Road
- Voorhees 480 Centennial Blvd.
- Waldwick 60 Franklin Turnpike
- Washington 354 Route 57
- Washington Township 265 Pascack Rod
- West Deptford 1000 Kings Highway
- Willingboro 217 Sunset Road
CVS also purchased pharmacy assets from stores in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Vermont and Washington, the spokesperson said.
The company did not disclose how much it spent on the acquisitions.
Closing doors
In May, CVS received approval from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey for its bid to buy select Rite Aid assets as part of the chain’s bankruptcy process. Rite Aid also sold off pharmacy assets to competitors including Walgreens, Albertsons and Kroger.
According to Rite Aid, Walgreens purchased prescription records from its stores in Point Pleasant, Penns Grove, Perth Amboy, Bridgeton, Whitehouse Station, Bayville, Little Egg Harbor, Highland Park, Vineland, Toms River and Parlin.
In seeking Chapter 11 for the second time in less than two years, Philadelphia-based Rite Aid said poor performance in its retail business made it difficult to maintain sufficient cash flow and keep inventory stocked.
At the time, its store count stood at about 1,250 — a significant drop from its roughly 2,000 sites in 2023. At its peak, the company was the nation’s third-largest standalone pharmacy chain with more than 4,900 locations nationwide.
As part of the latest bankruptcy process, Rite Aid worked with New York-headquartered A&G Real Estate Partners to auction off remaining stores. That list included the chain’s entire New Jersey footprint of 60 units, as well as a distribution center in Delran and its 23,144-square-foot headquarters on Intrepid Avenue in Philadelphia.
Earlier this month, Rite Aid officially went dark after more than six decades in business.
A warm welcome
In a statement, CVS President of Pharmacy and Consumer Wellness Len Shankman said, “We’re excited to have completed the acquisition of select Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs stores in the Pacific Northwest, as well as the acquisition of prescription files of hundreds of Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs pharmacies across 15 states.”
“We’re helping maintain and expand access to convenient and trusted pharmacy care across the U.S. and growing our retail footprint and presence in local communities. From our innovative pharmacy care programs to our exclusive store brand products, we look forward to showing Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs patients and customers all that CVS has to offer,” he said.
According to CVS, helping to maintain convenience for the community and ongoing access to necessary prescriptions were the major factors considered when deciding which stores and prescription files to purchase.
“Most CVS Pharmacy locations that received prescription files from Rite Aid are located within 3 miles of an existing Rite Aid store, and nearly half are within a mile,” the chain noted.
