The Crossville Rite-Aid Pharmacy will be closing on Feb. 18 with the remaining store operation to close March 1. Walgreens acquired Rite-Aid Pharmacies in 2018 and has systematically been closing them around the country. Rite-Aid customers will have their prescriptions transferred to Walgreens unless another pharmacy is requested. Employees with the failing company are unsure of their future at this time. They had originally been told that they would be placed in a position at Walgreens either locally or in a neighboring store.

Fiona Ortiz, the Director of Financial Communication at Walgreens has said Walgreens is committed to helping Rite Aid employees who may be displaced by the merger.

“We’re committed to taking care of team members throughout this process and expect to have positions at other locations for a majority of impacted team members,” Ortiz said. “We’ll make every effort to find the same or similar position for team members who are affected.”

Crossville Rite Aid employees say they are not certain how the company will follow through with their promise.  Customers of Walgreens Pharmacy are concerned that the transfers of Rite Aid prescriptions to Walgreens will make the long wait for picking up medicines even longer once Rite Aid closes.