5 Walgreens Locations in Maine on National Closing List

The largest pharmacy chain in America is headed for some tough times.

Walgreens announced last week that they would be spending the rest of 2024 "resetting" their business strategy in hopes of being more profitable in the next few years. According to CNN, part of that resetting includes closing more than 100 underperforming locations in 2024, with more likely to follow in 2025.

Walgreens' initial round of closures will focus on their stores that are the least profitable, have too many reported cases of theft, or are located too close to other Walgreens stores. The company will reassess their stores in 2025, and announce more closures for underperforming locations.

At the time of the announcement, Walgreens didn't specify which locations would be closing. But according to USearch, the list of Walgreens closures has been leaked, and includes five stores in Maine. All of these locations are expected to close by the end of 2024.

123 Main Street, Fairfield

The small town of Fairfield will be left with only one locally-owned pharmacy if Walgreens closes this location. One of the worries among experts is that Walgreens will be causing a "pharmacy desert" by closing locations in small towns strictly based on lack of profit.

35 Park St, Milo

Similar to their Fairfield location, the Walgreens in Milo has been underperforming, but that may simply be a matter of population versus any other factors. A closure of the Walgreens in Milo would leave the town with only one small pharmacy.

713 Congress St, Portland

The Walgreens location at 713 Congress Street in Portland has embattled in recent years. It's a smaller location, has seen many theft incidents, and is relatively close to other locations. Not only that, but this real estate in Portland could fetch a very high price considering the location.

233 US-1. Scarborough

It's interesting that the Walgreens at Oak Hill in Scarborough is on the list. It's located on a very busy stretch of Route One, so if the store is underperforming, it's a matter of competition. Walmart, Sam's Club, and Hannaford all operate pharmacies nearby.

461 Main St, Saco

Another Walgreens location that is likely saddled with too much nearby competition is at 461 Main Street in Saco. Formerly an underperforming Rite Aid, things haven't changed much since the space become a Walgreens. Both Shaw's and Hannaford operate pharmacies with more convenient hours nearby.