Photo Credit: Mike Mozart, Flickr
Walgreens will close five Chicago stores in the coming weeks, a company spokesperson confirmed to NBC Chicago. The closures, planned between Feb. 17 and Feb. 27, include stores in the following locations:
- 7111 South Western Avenue (West Englewood)
- 4005 West 26th Street (Little Village)
- 9148 South Commercial Avenue (South Chicago)
- 3405 South King Drive (Lake Meadows)
- 7109 South Jeffery Boulevard (South Shore)
The company attributed the closures to the costs of rent, staffing and supplies. “It’s never an easy decision to close a store,” a spokesperson said. “We know that our stores are important to the communities that we serve, and therefore do everything possible to improve the store performance.”
The impacted South Side stores—on South Commercial Avenue, South King Drive, and South Jeffery Boulevard—have drawn strong reactions from local public officials.
In a joint statement, State Senator Robert Peters, State Representatives Kam Buckner and Curtis J. Tarver, and Aldermen Lamont Robinson, Desmon Yancy, and Peter Chico expressed frustration and concern:
“The closures at our South Commercial Avenue, South King Drive and South Jeffrey Boulevard Walgreens locations will be a devastating blow to our communities. Walgreens started in or near our districts in South Side Chicago at Cottage Grove and Bowen Avenue 124 years ago. For years, these stores have supported residents, providing access to medications, groceries and other essential services.
“Corporate chains like Walgreens have driven mom-and-pop pharmacies out of business, consolidating control over vital services in our neighborhoods. Now, as they abandon these communities, they are leaving behind pharmacy deserts that make it even harder for working families to access the care they need.
“Their actions are robbing our neighborhoods of essential resources while prioritizing profits over people. We will fight to hold these corporations accountable and ensure our communities are not left behind. The South Side deserves better.”
Walgreens has pledged to “minimize customer disruption” and said it would try to relocate employees from affected stores.
The closures are part of a larger plan the company announced in October 2024 to shut down up to 1,200 “underperforming stores” by 2027, with 500 closures expected in fiscal year 2025. According to CNBC, about one-quarter of Walgreens’ 8,700 locations have been labeled “unprofitable.”
NBC Chicago contributed to this story.
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