Reasons for individual closures vary by location but typically fall into a few categories: expiring leases, weak sales, distribution center consolidation, and, in some cases, ongoing theft and safety concerns.
Walgreens is continuing a multiyear downsizing effort in 2026, though the pace has slowed considerably from what the company originally projected. The pharmacy chain has closed stores across at least a dozen states and Washington, D.C. this year as part of a broader push to consolidate around its strongest-performing locations.
The retailer still operates more than 8,500 stores nationwide, making it the second-largest pharmacy chain in the country. Leadership has described the cuts as a “store optimization strategy” rather than a retreat from the pharmacy business altogether.
The rollback traces back to October 2024, when Walgreens announced plans to close roughly 1,200 underperforming stores over three years. Last year, the company projected about 500 additional cuts. But after going private in 2025 under new ownership, Walgreens scaled back the pace significantly now expecting fewer than 100 closures in 2026, down from an earlier internal estimate near 700.
Reasons for individual closures vary by location but typically fall into a few categories: expiring leases, weak sales, distribution center consolidation, and, in some cases, ongoing theft and safety concerns that made certain stores too costly to keep open.
Chicago has seen several closures this year, with some residents criticizing the moves as corporate abandonment of their neighborhoods.
Take a look below at Walgreens Closing Stores: Updated List of Closed Locations for 2026.
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Illinois has seen the most activity so far, with four confirmed closures. Walgreens has not released a complete list of every location closing this year, and the company has not commented publicly beyond confirming the addresses above.
Walgreens Closing Stores: Updated List of Closed Locations for 2026 was originally published on wibc.com
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