LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – Walgreens has announced plans to close five stores in Southern California by late March, citing “increased regulatory and reimbursement pressures.”
The closures will involve the Whittier, downtown Los Angeles, Orange, Placentia and Stanton locations.
In a statement, the company said those “pressures” have impacted its ability to cover costs related to rent, staffing and supplies.
As a result, approximately 93 employees could be affected.
“It is never an easy decision to close a store,” said Marty Maloney, Walgreens’ director of media relations. “We know that our stores are important to the communities we serve, and we will do everything possible to improve store performance. When closures are necessary, we work in partnership with community stakeholders to minimize customer disruptions.”
Walgreens announced a “footprint optimization program” last year. The plan involves closing about 1,200 stores over three years. The company said around 500 of these closures will happen in fiscal year 2025.
