Rite Aid and Bartell shoppers take note: Use your gift cards before time is up
Amid Rite Aid’s bankruptcy news this week, deadlines have emerged for customers dealing with gift cards or returns tied to both the drugstore chain and subsidiary, Bartell Drugs.
Collectively, the two drugstore brands have multiple storefronts in Pierce County, three for Bartell and 12 for Rite Aid, according to their websites. Philadelphia-based Rite Aid has more than 1,200 sites across 15 states.
The chain acquired Seattle-based Bartell in 2020.
As a result of Rite Aid’s May 5 Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, both Rite Aid and Bartell now post banners on their websites stating deadlines for using gift cards or points tied to purchases.
“Bartell’s will no longer honor Bartell Drugs or Rite Aid gift cards or accept any return or exchanges beginning June 5,” Bartell Drugs states on its website.
“Beginning, May 6, 2025, Rite Aid Rewards points will no longer be issued for qualifying purchases,” Rite Aid states on its website. Additionally, “Rite Aid will no longer honor Rite Aid gift cards or accept any return or exchanges beginning June 5.”
The sites are set to either be sold off or closed, depending on the outcome of asset sales in the case.
In a filing with U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey, attorneys for Rite Aid wrote that time was of the essence in gaining maximum value in a sale to another entity.
The filing called for an expeditious sale, as prolonged bankruptcy proceedings would see the loss of more employees and customers, and their prescriptions as time wore on and noted Rite Aid fills more than 100 million prescriptions each year.
“Rite Aid’s prescriptions are its most valuable asset,” the filing stated, “Rite Aid must conduct a timely, orderly, court-supervised sale of its assets, including its prescriptions, to ensure an uninterrupted supply of medications to pharmacy-care customers who need them and preserve value for their estates.”
Thinly stocked retail shelves already seen at some stores could become even more so in the coming weeks.
“I think what we’ll progressively see is the stores will become more and more spartan,” retail analyst Neil Saunders told ABC News.
On Wednesday afternoon, Bartell Drugs filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification with the state of Washington. Bartell’s notice said it would close its Des Moines Distribution Center with layoffs starting June 4, affecting 131 workers.
Rite Aid’s attorneys wrote in the chain’s bankruptcy filing that despite emerging from its previous bankruptcy in 2023, “it continued to experience macroeconomic, financial, and operational challenges that significantly impaired its front-end business relative to its business plan.
The filing noted, “The combined effect of inventory challenges, strained vendor relations, lower consumer spending, diminished foot traffic in stores, a delay in obtaining replacement letter of credit facilities, and competitive pressures has ultimately left the Company with insufficient liquidity to operate its business and service its debt obligations in the ordinary course.”
It also noted that potential buyers for the pharmacy chain include “a combination of national and regional retail pharmacy, grocery store, and general retail companies.” It added that “all seven parties that submitted indications of interest continue to conduct diligence and remain in discussions with the debtors regarding potential sale transactions.”
This story was originally published May 7, 2025 at 2:23 PM with the headline "Rite Aid and Bartell shoppers take note: Use your gift cards before time is up."
