Thursday, October 20, 2022

Rite Aid in CNY, WNY et al

Glenolden, PA store (edited due to different laws there)

 Since Rite Aid sold a number of stores to Walgreens in 2019, they have had fewer locations in CNY (there were still six left in Onondaga County alone) and virtually none in the North Country. They've closed some in other parts of the nation, but could still make a comeback over here, while their competitor closed several of the stores they took over since, some in recent weeks. A few of them Rite Aid should get back as many are where there is no close alternative for people without private transport. Also fill in vacancies that the others won't. Rite Aid also left downtown Albany, but we covered that (see second list). However, Rite Aid are under administration, so they and their competitors are closing stores left and right at this time. As of 4 October 2025, all remaining stores have been closed.


Syracuse (west side) - W Onondaga St (former store and Walgreens)

Canastota - NY 5 & 13 (former store and Walgreens)

Manlius - NY 92 (former Kinney Drugs)

North Syracuse - US 11 (former store and Walgreens in village, although located roughly between Sweetheart Corners and former Cicero stores)

Pulaski - US 11 & NY 13 (former store and Walgreens)

Auburn - Genesee St (same as above, although both chains are still on NY 5)

Rochester (19th Ward) - Thurston Rd. & Brooks Ave. (former store and Walgreens; near airport, UR and Wegmans HQ; non-CNY)


Past locations:


North Syracuse - US 11 & S Bay Rd, Northern Lights; later Freddys? (defunct rival chain from Rochester); later Party City? (both chains in the same sinking boat in 2025)

Syracuse (Eastwood) (1) - NY 290 between Grant Blvd and North Ave; now Walgreens (built 2006)

Syracuse (Eastwood) (2) - NY 290 and Homecroft Rd; former Loblaws/Peters IGA/Foodtown/Carls/Fays/Eckerd; now Family Dollar (see earlier post)

East Syracuse (1) - Kirkville Rd; former Church Leader Drug/Fays/Eckerd; now Walgreens

East Syracuse (2) - NY 290; now Family Dollar

Syracuse (downtown) (1) - S Salina St; original store (Rite Aid had acquired local chain Daws Drugs in the late '60s, bringing them to CNY); later Record Town and Dollar Wise; now vacant

Syracuse (downtown) (2) - S Salina & E Fayette Sts; 1979-2019; former Woolworths; now DGX

Syracuse (downtown) (3) - S Warren & E Fayette Sts; Discount Center (likely regular store before 1979 when other one opened a block away); demolished, now corner park

Syracuse (Valley) - NY 80 & 173 - former Eckerd; now DG Market

Syracuse (south side) - US 11; later Walgreens; now vacant

Syracuse/Nedrow  - US 11; former Eckerd; now Walgreens (almost Fays with a drive-thru until 1997 acquisition by JCPenney; pictured below)

Hannibal - NY 3; former Fays/Eckerd; now Walgreens

Fulton - NY 3; later Walgreens; now vacant

Oswego - NY 104 & 481; former Fays/Eckerd; now demolished

Cortland - US 11 & NY 41; former Eckerd; now Walgreens

Cortlandville - NY 222 & 281

Glens Falls - NY 9L

Ransomville - NY 93 & CR 17

deWitt - NY 5, Shoppingtown Mall; former CVS?/Fays/Eckerd; now vacant pending demolition for District East

Manlius (1) (village) - NY 92; former Harveys Leader Drug/Eckerd; now Unplugged Gaming

Manlius (2) (Buellville) - NY 92; former Eckerd; now Walgreens

Fayetteville - N Burdick St; former Fays/Eckerd; now Walgreens

Cazenovia - US 20; former Fays/Eckerd; now Walgreens

Canastota - NY 5 & 13; later Walgreens; now closed

Chittenango - NY 5; later Walgreens; now closed

Cicero (1) - US 11 & Caughdenoy Rd; now Walgreens

Cicero (2) - NY 31 & Thompson Rd; now Ace Hardware

Auburn (1) - US 20 & NY 38A; now VA Health Clinic

Auburn (2) - NY 5

Albany (Colonie) - NY 5 & CR 156; later Goodwill; now Ace Hardware

Baldwinsville (1) - Downer St; now Powerhouse Gym

Baldwinsville (2) (Moyers Corners) - NY 31 & CR 57; former Fays/Eckerd, Kimbrook Plaza, now Planet Fitness

Liverpool (Bayberry) (1) - CR 57; former Eckerd; now Walgreens

Liverpool (Bayberry) (2) - CR 57; the Shops at Seneca Mall; former Eckerd, now U-Haul

Liverpool (Galeville) - Old Liverpool Rd; former Eckerd; now Family Dollar

Liverpool/North Syracuse - Bear & Buckley Rds; former Eckerd; now Dollar General

Mattydale - US 11 & Malden Rd; former Eckerd; later Walgreens; now closed

North Syracuse (1) - US 11; now Syracuse Lash & Beauty

North Syracuse (2) - US 11 & Centerville St; now vacant

Central Square - NY 49; now closed

Watertown - NY 3; former Fays/Eckerd; now closed

Norwich (1) - NY 12 & E Main St; former Eckerd; now Walgreens

Norwich (2) - NY 12; now Dollar Tree

Norwich (3) - NY 12; now Aarons Rental Purchase

Syracuse (Tipp Hill) (1) - NY 5 & Avery Ave; later Walgreens; now vacant

Syracuse (Tipp Hill) (2) - W Fayette St; now Modular Comfort Systems

Syracuse (east side) (1) - Westcott St; now convenience store

Syracuse (east side) (2) - NY 92; former site of historic home; later Walgreens; now vacant

Syracuse (Fairmount) (1) - W Genesee St; Fairmount Fair Mall; demolished by late '80s, now plaza

Syracuse (Fairmount) (2) - W Genesee St; former flagship Fays/Eckerd; now Dollar Tree

Syracuse (north side) (1) - Grant Blvd & Butternut St; now AutoZone

Syracuse (north side) (2) - Butternut & N McBride Sts; now Family Dollar (Rite Aid moved across street)

Syracuse (north side) (3) - Butternut & Lodi Sts (briefly); former Eckerd (unnecessary after acquisition with existing store right there, yet now vacant as of Fall 2025); now Dollar General

Syracuse (north side) (4) - Butternut & Lodi Sts (final)

Syracuse (Skunk City) - Onondaga Blvd & Avery Ave; former Eckerd; now Walgreens

Syracuse (near west side) - W Onondaga St; later Walgreens; now vacant

Syracuse (east side) (3) - E Colvin St & Nottingham Rd; Skytop Plaza; former Drumlins Pharmacy/Fays Cornerdrug/Eckerd; now Walgreens

Camillus - W Genesee St, Camillus Plaza/Commons; previously Carls, Fays and Eckerd

St Lawrence County - US 11 et al; now Walgreens

Endwell - Hooper St; previously Fays; now closed

Endicott - NY 17C & 26; previously Fays' last new store; later Eckerd; now Walgreens

Binghamton - NY 7; now closed

Whitesboro - NY 69

New Hartford (Commercial Drive) - NY 5A

New Hartford (Washington Mills) - CR 26 & NY 8, Kellogg Mall; previously Fays and Eckerd

Rome - NY 46 & 49

Oneida - NY 46

Utica - Genesee St

Buffalo - 29/9/25: ABC 7 WKBW announced that a total of 16 locations in the city had shuttered, affecting many low-income neighborhoods and overwhelming other chains. They were all on:

NY 5/Main St. (2)
Niagara St.
NY 384/Delaware Ave.
Elmwood Ave.
Sheridan Dr.
Tonawanda St.
Connecticut St.
US 62/Bailey Ave.
William St.
Genesee St.
NY 16/Seneca St.
W Ferry St.
Abbott Rd.
E Lovejoy St.
NY 324/Sheridan Dr.
NY 240 & William St.
US 62 & NY 130; previously Eckerd

Dryden - NY 13 & 38; previously Victory Markets, Great American, and Eckerd; now demolished (pictured below)

Nedrow store with AI weather change (former Eckerd)

Dryden store with classic logo (AI)