Woodmere Rite Aid Closes

 shuttered its Woodmere store on Thanksgiving Day, a company spokesman said Monday, because the location had been underperforming.

"The store is closing because it was no longer profitable for us to operate at this location," said spokesman Eric Harkreader. "It came down to a business decision. It's not one we like to make or that we make lightly, but from time to time Rite Aid does evaluate its operations at every location."

Over ten years ago, the store in the Railroad Avenue shopping center used to house a Genovese Drug Store. Eckerd merged with the chain in 1998, and the store was rebranded under that company years after. Rite Aid acquired Eckerd in 2007.

A handful of local residents were still coming to the store Monday evening, only to be stopped by a locked door and a sign notifying customers that the store had been closed. "I'm surprised they were closing — no one told me," said Ralph Klein, who walked from his home in Cedarhurst to the shopping center. "I'm sorry they're closing."

All patient prescriptions have been transferred to the located on Broadway in Woodmere. "We want to make it convenient for our patients to pick up their prescriptions without interfering with their daily routines and going too far," said Harkreader, who added that it's a industry practice for drug stores to work with competing companies in cases of closing stores. He also said that arrangements have been made for most of the store's 10 employees to work in nearby locations.

The Woodmere Rite Aid will open once again this Saturday to sell off its remaining merchandise, and remain open until all items are sold. All merchandise, including non-prescriptions drugs, will be sold for half-off.

Editor's note: This article incorrectly stated that Rite Aid would only be open for one more day.