Rite Aid locations in Fort Bragg, CA

[Super S]

I recently passed through Fort Bragg, and noticed something a bit unusual for this smaller town. Not one, but two Rite Aid stores located about one mile apart from each other on state highway 1. One was in a strip mall, and the other was a standalone store. The store in the strip mall had recently closed, and the standalone store was holding a grand re-opening. I was unable to go inside either location. However, both locations appeared to co-exist for a time, as they had the exact same signage, which is common on many acquired Payless & Thrifty locations. (still present on the closed store). The standalone store appeared to be an older building, but it is very clear that it was not built by Rite Aid. It could be a former PayLess, but given the fact it is California, could have been a Thrifty. The store in the shopping center I would guess was originally PayLess. In any case, it is very odd that Rite Aid would keep two acquired locations this close together open for any length of time, especially since some larger towns have spotty coverage. It is also odd because there was a much newer looking CVS store on the same road.

So I am curious about the history of both of these locations. My guess would be that they opened at separate times, and one operated as a PayLess and one operated as a Thrifty, and both locations somehow stayed open after Thrifty and PayLess merged, and eventually became Rite Aid. But I have to wonder if another chain was involved at some point. Fort Bragg doesn't have any larger discount stores, but still, I don't see how two Rite Aids so close together could survive for very long.

[TW-Upstate NY]

There was a "kinda, sorta" similar situation in my area. Rite Aid had a store in Gloversville, NY since the early 70's and eventually built a replacement unit maybe a couple blocks away from the original location. The new store opened in early 1997. A couple years later, Eckerd built a new store directly across the street. When the merger went through and the Eckerd became a Rite Aid, those two stores co-existed each as Rite Aid for probably close to five years. The older Rite Aid (the replacement for their original store) was the one that was closed and remains vacant to this day; they kept the acquired store open. The more I think back, Rite Aid actually has a habit of doing this as I can think of at least two more intstances of this occurring in the immediate area-one dates from the 1970's and both locations are now long gone and the other is still going strong with the two locations around a mile or so apart and yes that one has its roots in the Eckerd acquisition as well.

[romleys]

The building was originally a Safeway before becoming a Payless Drug Store...

[BillyGr]

There was a "kinda, sorta" similar situation in my area. Rite Aid had a store in Gloversville, NY since the early 70's and eventually built a replacement unit maybe a couple blocks away from the original location. The new store opened in early 1997. A couple years later, Eckerd built a new store directly across the street. When the merger went through and the Eckerd became a Rite Aid, those two stores co-existed each as Rite Aid for probably close to five years. The older Rite Aid (the replacement for their original store) was the one that was closed and remains vacant to this day; they kept the acquired store open. The more I think back, Rite Aid actually has a habit of doing this as I can think of at least two more intstances of this occurring in the immediate area-one dates from the 1970's and both locations are now long gone and the other is still going strong with the two locations around a mile or so apart and yes that one has its roots in the Eckerd acquisition as well.

They did the same in Loudonville (just outside Albany) with an existing older Rite Aid and a newer Eckerd. They were both open for a time (not sure if it was 5 years or not) before the (older) Rite Aid store closed leaving just the (newer Eckerd) store open.

On the other hand, when there was a newer Rite Aid across from an older Eckerd (East Greenbush as an example, the Eckerd was in a former supermarket) the Eckerd closed very quickly.

There are still a few fairly close spots - in the aforementioned East Greenbush area, Rite Aid had 2 stores (1 East Greenbush, the other Schodack) and Eckerd had a newer store (City of Rensselaer) in addition to the one that closed across from the East Greenbush RA. The 2 Rite Aids and Rensselaer Eckerd (converted) are all still open - about 6 miles total from end to end separates the 3.
Also Albany - the former Eckerd in Westgate and an existing Rite Aid on Central & Clinton - they are just over 1 mile apart and both still open.

[Super S]

The building was originally a Safeway before becoming a Payless Drug Store...

Thanks for those two photos. According to the comments on one, the standalone store was originally a Safeway, then PayLess, and the one in the shopping center was a Thrifty. So apparently these two stores co-existed as Rite Aid since 97-98 when they acquired Thrifty/Payless. However, did these two locations keep their separate brands until the Rite Aid takeover?

[storewanderer]

There is a bit more to this.

When Thrifty and Payless merged, certain towns, they would be the only pharmacy. Fort Bragg was one of those towns. So they were required to divest a pharmacy. In most of the towns they just divested the pharmacy to a pre-existing retailer and closed one of the stores. But in Fort Bragg it was a bit different. They divested the pharmacy inside the Thrifty to someone who continued to operate it as an independent pharmacy within the Thrifty, then Rite Aid, as recently as 2012 when I was in Fort Bragg. Thrifty and Rite Aid continued to operate the main store as a typical store but had nothing to do with the pharmacy.

I will have to figure out what finally happened to the independent pharmacy there. I found it odd Rite Aid was still running the old Thrifty too, but maybe they had some agreement to continue operations of the front end while the independent pharmacist operated the pharmacy department.

I tried calling the phone number to this Fort Bragg Pharmacy, Inc. and it just goes to a fax machine so it appears they are still in business. Had anyone bought the pharmacy I'm sure the line would be re-routing. Now, Safeway, CVS, and someone else operate pharmacies in Fort Bragg too. Funny how many new pharmacies since 1994.

http://www.advocate-news.com/local/ci_2 ... -stay-open

[Alpha8472]

The reason why they kept the two stores open even though they were so close was because Rite Aid did not want a Walgreens to set up shop inside of their former store. In fact, the abandoned Rite Aid probably is still owned by Rite Aid. They purposely keep it empty so that Walgreens or any other competitor will be kept away.

I know of two CVS stores across the street from each other in San Leandro, California that still coexist in such a manner. I must admit that they are both rundown and ugly stores that have not been remodeled even after the merger between Longs Drugs and CVS. Perhaps CVS is waiting for one store to lose its lease before a remodel.

[Super S]

The reason why they kept the two stores open even though they were so close was because Rite Aid did not want a Walgreens to set up shop inside of their former store. In fact, the abandoned Rite Aid probably is still owned by Rite Aid. They purposely keep it empty so that Walgreens or any other competitor will be kept away.

I know of two CVS stores across the street from each other in San Leandro, California that still coexist in such a manner. I must admit that they are both rundown and ugly stores that have not been remodeled even after the merger between Longs Drugs and CVS. Perhaps CVS is waiting for one store to lose its lease before a remodel.

I would think that Rite Aid likely owns the one they just remodeled, while the one in the shopping center that recently closed was likely at the end of a lease or something.

I have heard of Walmart keeping leases on closed buildings for years and years to keep competition out, but have never heard of Rite Aid doing this. Especially considering that it wasn't that long ago that Rite Aid was really struggling and they were closing many locations. Although there certainly are exceptions, such as when Walgreens acquires an existing chain, Walgreens usually will build new stores. The old PayLess/Thrifty properties are much larger in size than a typical Walgreens, not to mention older, and Walgreens doesn't want to sink tons of money into purchasing older buildings that need remodeling, and would need to be consolidated into smaller spaces.

[wnetmacman]

I have heard of Walmart keeping leases on closed buildings for years and years to keep competition out, but have never heard of Rite Aid doing this.

In several locations in Louisiana, where Rite Aid took over K&B, there is a specific lease restriction on any store that they have closed that stipulates that any tenant that replaces them cannot have a pharmacy, even in cases where Rite Aid left the town completely. A case in point; Rite Aid operated 6 stores in Lafayette, LA in 2000. Three of those stores (the oldest three, mind you) have since closed. One store was in a mall where Albertsons (now also gone) wanted to purchase an anchor spot and open a store with pharmacy. Rite Aid fought them to keep the store out, eventually settling that the store would not open into the mall. The second store that closed was on a major street. A Fred's now occupies the space, but does not have a pharmacy because of this restriction. Another store in Opelousas (where Rite Aid no longer operates) cannot find a new tenant because of this.