Employees at the Bartell Drugs in Seattle’s Uptown neighborhood told customers on Monday that the location, one of the region’s last 24-hour pharmacies, will close Sept. 10, the Seattle Times reported. It’s the latest of half a dozen closures since the family-owned Bartell Drug pharmacy chain was purchased by Rite Aid in 2020 — but it may have the biggest impact on customers. After Sept. 10, the nearest 24-hour pharmacy will be a Walgreens near Issaquah, according to information provided to Bartell customers by staff at the pharmacy. On Tuesday, Rite Aid spokesperson Alicja Wojczyk confirmed the closure, but didn’t say if Rite Aid planned to convert another Bartell to a 24-hour schedule. Store staff, who began informing customers of the closure on Monday, said they were surprised by the news. Although Rite Aid has shuttered dozens of stores here and elsewhere as it grapples with heavy financial losses and legal woes, several employees said the Uptown location had remained busy. The store benefited from its central location, a large parking lot and proximity to a popular Metropolitan Market grocery, which sits below the drugstore, and had built up a large, loyal customer base, several employees said.
