"Small-business pharmacies are popping up throughout NYC just as larger chains continue to shutter or close locations. Are the smaller drugstores filling the gap left by shuttered Rite Aid and Duane Reade stores, and if so, how are they thriving? amNewYork set out to find those answers and more by speaking with economic experts, pharmacy workers and customers throughout the Big Apple."
"According to the Center for an Urban Future (CUF), giant retail stores in NYC continued to decline in 2025, and big-box pharmacies were no exception. Rite Aid was one of the most headline-making closures last year. The company closed its remaining New York stores in May due to long-standing financial issues. Duane Reade, once a thriving NYC drugstore retailer, has closed 143 stores in the city since 2019. The remaining shops are now owned by Walgreens."
Independent and small-business pharmacies are increasing presence across New York City as major chain locations decline. Large pharmacy chains such as Rite Aid closed remaining New York stores in May 2025 amid financial troubles, and Duane Reade has shuttered 143 city locations since 2019, with remaining outlets owned by Walgreens. The Center for an Urban Future notes a broader decline of giant retail stores. The closures create market opportunities for entrepreneurs to open mom-and-pop apothecaries. Smaller pharmacies can provide more personalized patient care for an aging population with growing prescription demand. NYC Small Business Services reports 2,629 operating pharmacies citywide.
Read at www.amny.com
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