Metro

NYC Rite Aid plagued by string of thefts finally closes its doors

By
Social Links for Gabrielle Fonrouge
Published Feb. 10, 2022
Updated Feb. 10, 2022, 3:43 p.m. ET

A Manhattan Rite Aid that’s been plagued by a rash of shoplifting has shut its doors. 

The Hells Kitchen drug store, once a 24-hour location near the corner of Eighth Avenue and West 50th Street, was barren Thursday morning with photos showing empty, stripped shelves and no staff members in sight.

Rite Aid confirmed the closure and announced previously the store was slated to shut on Tuesday.

The Hells Kitchen drug store, once a 24-hour location near the corner of Ninth Avenue and West 50th Street, was barren Thursday morning.
The Hells Kitchen drug store, once a 24-hour location near the corner of Ninth Avenue and West 50th Street, was barren Thursday morning. Robert Mecea
Workers were photographed removing the location's signage on Thursday morning.
Workers were photographed removing the location’s signage on Thursday morning. Robert Miller
The building's newly bare facade.
The building’s newly bare facade. Robert Miller

Last month, staffers at the location told The Post brazen thieves stole more than $200,000 in merchandise in December and January alone — part of a scourge of shoplifting that’s been reported citywide. 

“They come in every day, sometimes twice a day, with laundry bags and just load up on stuff,” one store employee told The Post, as two others nodded in agreement. 

“They take whatever they want and we can’t do anything about it. It’s why the store is closing. They can’t afford to keep it open.”

Rite Aid confirmed the store's closure on Thursday.
Rite Aid confirmed the store’s closure on Thursday.
A series of thefts were reportedly behind the closure.
A series of thefts were reportedly behind the closure. Robert Mecea

Staffers had been told to tell customers Rite Aid is closing the store in an effort to cut costs but they said the thefts drove the decision. 

A Rite Aid spokesperson didn’t address shoplifting concerns when asked for comment about the closure. They said the Hells Kitchen store is one of 63 locations that are closing across the US — a decision that was made during the company’s third-quarter earnings call in December.

“Like all retail businesses, we regularly review each of our locations to ensure we are meeting the needs of our customers, communities and overall business,” the spokesperson said, adding the closures represent about 2 percent of Rite Aid’s total locations.

A worker holds one of the removed sign letters on Thursday morning.
A worker holds one of the removed sign letters on Thursday morning. Robert Miller
The store seen before the closing on Jan. 26.
Before: The store seen prior to the closing on Jan. 26. Robert Mecea
Last month, staffers told The Post brazen thieves stole more than $200,000 in products in just two months.
After: Nearly empty shelves were all that remained on Thursday.
A sparse grocery aisle shows little merchandise left.
A sparse grocery aisle shows little merchandise left.

“A decision to close a store is one we take very seriously, and those decisions are based on a variety of factors that retail businesses consider such as overarching business strategy, lease and rent considerations, local business conditions and viability, and store performance.”

The spokesperson noted staffers at the closed stores “are provided job opportunities at nearby Rite Aid locations.”

Another Rite Aid on Manhattan’s Upper East Side that’s seen an uptick in thefts, exposed by comedian Michael Rapaport, is scheduled to shut down on Feb. 15.