Rite Aid, the embattled Pennsylvania-headquartered drugstore chain of 1,240 stores nationwide, recently filed bankruptcy for the second time since October 2023. Last month, the company announced that it would be shutting down more than 300 locations, including dozens of stores in California.
For Californians, the Rite Aid name — and the impending store closures — comes with an entirely different set of memories. It could mean the end of an era that dates back nearly a century to the origins of Thrifty, the LA-based drug store and soda fountain.
For many, the best reason to visit a Rite Aid is Thrifty Ice Cream. Ahead of the closures, the fate of the beloved ice cream brand is uncertain.
“I’ll be 75 this year, so 65-plus years,” said Rob from Atascadero, who declined to give his surname. Rob recalled his lifetime love affair with Thrifty Ice Cream while enjoying a scoop in front of the ice cream counter at the Los Osos Rite Aid, set to close June 30, on Sunday afternoon. He said he’d stopped in for a few items and, of course, to seek out his favorite ice cream one last time.
His search has extended across San Luis Obispo County as the individual Rite Aids in the region continue to roll out their closure dates…