Walgreens Boots Alliance Reduces 2026 Store Closures to Under 100

Walgreens Boots Alliance is slowing the pace of its multiyear turnaround program and store optimization strategy, planning to close fewer than 100 stores in 2026. This marks a significant reduction from earlier internal projections of up to 700 closures for the year. The drugstore chain had previously aimed to shutter 1,200 underperforming U.S. locations following its acquisition by private equity firm Sycamore Partners in August 2025.

Since the buyout, the total number of U.S. locations has dropped from 8,500 to approximately 8,000. The company recently confirmed the closure of a distribution center in Houston, Texas, and at least a dozen pharmacy locations across the country. Affected sites include stores in Brooklyn, New York; Bogota, New Jersey; Northwest Washington D.C.; Arlington, Virginia; and various locations in Illinois, Missouri, South Carolina, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Walgreens Boots Alliance attributed these specific closures to expiring leases, underperforming sales, and theft and safety concerns. The company stated that the closures are not part of a "broad retreat" from the pharmacy business, but instead part of its "store optimization strategy" intended to prioritize high-performing stores.