I remember going to the Outer Banks years ago, and marveling at the size of these huge drugstores for the first time. As that became their new model, we began seeing those buildings turning up in our own area here, across the Delmarva Peninsula; a tiny rural road could lead you to a grocery-sized Rite Aid practically anywhere, as they departed strip malls and shopping centers for the next big thing.
I can't help but wonder if they had stayed in regular retail areas, ones where there was constant traffic, i.e., next to a grocery store for example; would their story have been different? Did making each location another stop for the consumer hurt sales or walk-in customers? Now, with almost all of the locations around us closed, or on the verge of shutting their doors, it will be interesting to see how many of these buildings are purchased and reused, vs. sitting quietly for years to come.
The cost and work involved to remodel these structures must be extensive, however I've seen it done to a few former locations (Rite Aid, as well as other drugstore chains which have closed); one made into a medical center, another as a cannabis distributor. But for the most part, stores like these which have shut down in the past decade, are still vacant, empty brick shells dotting corners and intersections.
Thanks for stopping by my blog ~ 😊
community first • marketing consultant • advocate for small business • lover
of classic cars • beach girl • believer that "together we accomplish more"
