Walgreens is continuing to shut down underperforming stores this year, though at a much smaller scale than previously expected. New reports indicate the pharmacy chain now plans to close fewer than 100 locations in 2026, down sharply from earlier internal projections of about 700 closures.
Back in October 2024, Walgreens announced a much more aggressive plan. The company said it intended to shutter roughly 1,200 underperforming stores over three years as part of a broader effort to turn the business around. At that time, executives expected to close around 500 stores during fiscal 2025, primarily targeting locations that were generating negative cash flow.
That strategy has since been scaled back. After Walgreens went private in 2025, the company’s closure plans were reportedly reduced, with fewer locations now on the chopping block. Even so, the chain has continued to trim stores that are struggling with weak sales or operational challenges.
‘Walgreens has shuttered stores across at least a dozen states…as part of a multiyear plan to cut costs and close underperforming locations…it is focusing on stores with expiring leases, underperforming sales and ongoing theft problems.’
- NY Post pic.twitter.com/iRGLHmTxEa
— The Daily Sneed™ (@Tr00peRR) August 5, 2026
Walgreens confirmed to USA Today that several specific locations have recently closed or are scheduled to close. These include one store in Washington, D.C.; multiple stores in Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington state and Wisconsin; and a distribution center in Houston, Texas. Many of these closures were first reported by Inc., local news outlets or Walgreens’ own website.
One Chicago closure illustrates the financial pressures behind some of these decisions. Walgreens announced earlier this year it would close its location near 86th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue in the Chatham neighborhood. The store had been dealing with declining prescription sales and elevated levels of theft, leading to more than $1 million in losses.
Walgreens regional Vice President Reginald Johnson told residents that shutting a store is not something the company takes lightly. “Closing stores is not our goal. This is the last resort,” he said in May, according to FOX 32 Chicago. The company continues to operate thousands of stores across the U.S. and remains one of the largest pharmacy chains in the country.
Walgreens closes stores across a dozen states including New York and New Jersey https://t.co/SD53O8PHsy pic.twitter.com/PYp7BLARww
— New York Post (@nypost) August 4, 2026
Walgreens is also navigating other changes, such as pulling back COVID-19 vaccines in certain states following updated guidelines. Like other major chains, it is trying to balance public-health responsibilities with ongoing cost and staffing pressures. For customers in affected neighborhoods, the closures may raise fresh concerns about access to prescriptions and everyday essentials.