Walgreens Announces Sweeping Closures—California Faces Major Store Losses

Walgreens is set to shutter 500 locations in 2025 as part of a sweeping $1 billion cost-cutting initiative, CEO Tim Wentworth announced last fall. The closures are part of a broader plan to eliminate 1,200 underperforming stores nationwide over the next several years, with locations in 33 states slated for closure.The pharmacy giant, which operates approximately 8,500 stores across the U.S., has acknowledged that nearly a quarter of its locations are not profitable. By 2027, roughly one in seven Walgreens stores will have closed, mirroring similar downsizing efforts by competitors like CVS, which recently completed a plan to shutter 900 locations.California will see significant store closures, with more locations to close than any other state.