Overview
- Walgreens confirmed in early August 2026 that it expects to close fewer than 100 stores this year as part of a multiyear store‑optimization program focused on stronger locations.
- Company statements say the closures are driven by expiring leases, weak sales, distribution center consolidation, and theft or safety concerns rather than a retreat from the pharmacy business.
- So far in 2026, news outlets have reported closures in at least a dozen states and the company has shut a roughly 500,000‑square‑foot distribution center in Houston as part of supply‑chain consolidation.
- The reduced pace of 2026 shutdowns follows a plan announced in October 2024 to close about 1,200 stores over three years and a slowdown after Walgreens went private in 2025 under new ownership.
- Walgreens still operates more than 8,500 U.S. stores, and the company says customers do not need to take action to transfer prescriptions; some local communities, especially in Chicago, have expressed concern about loss of nearby stores.