Walgreens closes more US stores as its downsizing continues

Walgreens keeps trimming its footprint

If your neighborhood pharmacy is part of your weekly routine, a closure can feel surprisingly disruptive. Walgreens Co. is continuing to reduce its U.S. store count in 2026, though the pace is slower than earlier plans suggested.

The company now expects fewer than 100 closures this year. That is far below earlier media reports that internal projections had put the number of closures for 2026 at around 700.

Walgreens scales back the shutdown pace

Walgreens Co. originally announced a much larger restructuring in 2024, targeting roughly 1,200 store closures over three years. Around 500 locations were expected to close during fiscal 2025 alone.

After Sycamore Partners completed its acquisition in August 2025, Walgreens became a private, standalone company. The pace of closures reported for 2026 is now substantially slower than earlier expectations. The newer plan focuses on fewer closures and directs resources toward stores that management believes can perform better.

Walgreens closures reach many states

Walgreens Co. closures in 2026 have reached communities from Chicago and Brooklyn to Houston, Seattle, Arlington, and Milwaukee. Media reports have documented individual Walgreens closures in numerous states and Washington, D.C., although the company has not published a complete nationwide list of all stores closing in 2026.

The shutdowns are not concentrated in one region. That means customers in large cities, suburbs, and smaller communities may all feel the effects as Walgreens continues reshaping its national network under private ownership.

Chicago loses several neighborhood stores

Illinois has seen several Walgreens locations close in 2026, including stores on East 71st Street and South Cottage Grove Avenue in Chicago and another on East State Street in Rockford.

For nearby residents, a pharmacy closure can mean more than losing a convenience stop. Customers may need to travel farther for prescriptions, basic health products, vaccinations, and everyday items once a familiar neighborhood location disappears.

Fun fact: By the end of 1929, Walgreens had grown to 397 stores in 87 cities with annual sales of $47 million.

Brooklyn and the East Coast feel cuts

New York is also on the closure list, with the Walgreens at 120 Court Street in Brooklyn closed in June 2026 as the property moved toward redevelopment. Other affected East Coast communities include Beaufort, South Carolina, and Arlington, Virginia.

Walgreens has said its broader restructuring focuses on underperforming stores and improving the economics of its remaining network. Still, the company has not publicly explained the reason behind every individual 2026 closure.

Fun fact: Walgreens opened its first East Coast store in New York’s theater district in 1927.

Texas closure adds to a changing map

Texas is part of Walgreens’ latest downsizing, but the Houston closure at 1805 Greens Road refers to a distribution center, not a neighborhood retail pharmacy. The company closed the Houston facility as part of its broader restructuring.

Closing a distribution site shows Walgreens is cutting beyond storefronts. The move suggests Walgreens is also reviewing the infrastructure that supports its stores, including logistics operations, warehouse capacity, and staffing needs, as it works to reduce costs and reshape how products move through its U.S. network.

Seattle store joins the closure list

Seattle residents have also seen a Walgreens close, with the location at 2400 South Jackson Street among the 2026 closures. Washington, D.C., meanwhile, lost a store on Connecticut Avenue NW.

Closures in dense urban areas draw attention because pharmacies often serve customers who walk, use transit, or rely on nearby services. Losing one location may shift more demand toward the remaining pharmacies in nearby neighborhoods.

Milwaukee and Missouri see more exits

The 2026 list also includes the Walgreens at 2727 West North Avenue in Milwaukee. Missouri closures include locations in Bridgeton and St. Louis, extending the downsizing into the Midwest.

These scattered closures show Walgreens is evaluating individual markets rather than leaving entire states. Walgreens’ broader downsizing has focused on improving store economics, but the company has not publicly identified the exact reason for every individual closure on the reported 2026 lists.

The original plan was much larger

Walgreens’ current pace looks modest compared with what the company announced in October 2024. At that time, management said Walgreens planned to close roughly 1,200 underperforming stores over three years, including about 500 during fiscal 2025.

Those targets reflected pressure from underperforming stores, lease obligations, and the need to improve cash flow across its retail network.

Private ownership changed the strategy

Sycamore Partners completed its acquisition of Walgreens Boots Alliance on August 28, 2025. Walgreens then became a private, standalone company, with Mike Motz appointed chief executive officer.

The acquisition ended Walgreens Boots Alliance’s public listing, while Walgreens said operating privately would give the business greater flexibility to reshape its retail and pharmacy operations. The slower pace of closure in 2026 suggests the company is refining earlier plans rather than following that timetable.

Walgreens still has a huge U.S. presence

Even after hundreds of closures, Walgreens remains one of the largest pharmacy chains in America. Recent reports place its U.S. footprint above 8,000 stores, with a strong presence in communities nationwide.

That scale explains why even a small percentage of closures can still affect many neighborhoods. Walgreens can shrink while remaining a major destination for prescriptions, health services, and everyday retail purchases.

Closures can complicate prescription routines

When a Walgreens closes, prescription customers may need to move their medications to another pharmacy. That can involve choosing a nearby Walgreens or transferring prescriptions to another pharmacy, depending on the medication and individual circumstances.

The disruption may be minor for customers with several pharmacies nearby. In communities with fewer options, however, a closure can lead to longer drives, additional planning, and new routines for regular prescription pickups.

For another retail update tied to store closures, changing shopping habits, and local access, see why more than 800 U.S. locations are expected to shut in 2026.

The pharmacy shakeout is not over yet

Additional Walgreens locations could still close as the company continues to evaluate its store network, but no complete public list of all expected 2026 closures has been released. The current expectation of fewer than 100 closures is far smaller than earlier projections, yet it still marks another year of contraction.

For customers, the practical message is simple: familiar stores are not guaranteed to stay open. The company is reshaping its network while trying to build a smaller, stronger pharmacy business.

For another store closure update tied to grocery access, public funding, and neighborhood impact, see why Chicago locations closed after receiving more than $13 million in city support.

Are repeated Walgreens closures making it harder for communities to rely on convenient access to neighborhood pharmacies? Share your thoughts and drop a comment.

This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.

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