Popular Retailer With 38 Locations in Idaho Plans Mass Closures

2024 has been brutal for retailers both big and small. Big name brands like Denny’s, Dollar Tree, Red Lobster, Rue 21 and more have already announced closures of some or all of their locations in Idaho.

Now the nation’s eighth largest retailer has announced that they’ll close more than 2,000 locations across America. CBS News reports that in a recent earnings call, Walgreens revealed plans to close nearly 25% of their locations in the United States. 

READ MORE: 11 Big Brands Closing Idaho Locations in 2024

The headline feels a bit familiar. It was about this time last year that Walgreens reported that their Q2 earnings were down about 59% from the year before. They attributed that downturn to things like a drop in demand for COVID-19 testing and vaccines. The company also felt like uncertain economic conditions led consumers to spend less than they were in 2022. At the time, they announced plans to close 150 stores nationwide by the end of August 2024. 

Things appear to be even bleaker for Walgreens after Q2 2024. During the call, the company’s CEO said that they plan to shutter about 25% of stores in America. If you do the math, 25% of Walgreens approximately 8,600 locations is about 2,150 locations. He admitted that the current pharmacy model is not sustainable and that changes are imminent. The talk track was a little bit different this year. Rather than blaming a change in attitudes about COVID-19 testing and vaccines, inflation seemed to be the main factor blamed for the pharmacy chain’s issues.  

Good Housekeeping says they’ve obtained a list of 91 Walgreens locations that have closed or are slated for closure after the earnings call. That list includes four locations in Oregon, four locations in California, two locations in Washington and one in Utah.

While Idaho didn’t appear on the initial list of closures, those 91 stores only account for 4% of the over 2,000 Walgreens locations that will close over the next three years. It’s also worth noting that a Walgreens location in Idaho did close earlier this year. The location on Federal Way in Boise closed on February 27. Prescriptions were transferred to a nearby Walgreens on Apple Street and employees were given the option to transfer to other locations. 

What lies ahead for Walgreens in Idaho is unclear. At press time, they still have 38 locations in Idaho, including 21 in Boise and its surrounding neighbors. With so many locations on the chopping block, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Gem State lost a few more locations.