NEW JERSEY — Walgreens plans to close 1,200 of its nationwide stores, including some in New Jersey, over the next three years.
The pharmacy giant did say which ones are on the list in an Oct. 15th news release , leaving customers to wonder and employees to worry.
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Walgreens has 180 locations in New Jersey, including 13 in Middlesex County. The Illinois-based pharmacy giant has roughly 8,500 stores across the United States.
“We hear rumors. There’s chatter (among employees),” said a worried Walgreens worker at its Plaza 12 store in Carteret. “You can say I’m concerned. I like my job and our customers … many of them are my neighbors here.”
A Walgreens employee at its Sayreville store on Raritan Avenue said: “I probably shouldn’t say anything to you … I don’t want to get in trouble, but I wish (the company) would say if we need to start looking for new jobs.”
The pharmacy giant’s announcement came after it reported a fourth-quarter loss of $3 billion, but Walgreens CEO Tim Wentworth said the chain is optimistic about its long-term survival, noting that a “turnaround will take time.”