Rite Aid is selling its real estate and retail leases for more than 20 locations throughout Maryland and closing a distribution center in Harford County that will cost jobs for hundreds of workers as the failing drugstore chain seeks bankruptcy protection for the second time in less than two years.

Rite Aid notified Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly and the Department of Economic Development on Wednesday that the 850,000-square-foot facility in Perryman would cease operations, a Harford County spokesman said Thursday.

“We recognize the significant hardship this news brings to the employees, their families, and our community,” said Matt Button, public information officer for Harford County, in a statement to The Baltimore Sun on Thursday.

On Monday, Rite Aid said its stores will remain open as it returns to Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.

The chain lists 24 locations in Maryland, including an 850,000-square-foot distribution center in Harford County. Rite Aid has about a dozen retail stores in the Baltimore region, including in the city as well as drugstores in Ellicott City, Randallstown, Owings Mills, Severna Park and Westminster.

All locations are included as part of a bankruptcy sale that is subject to court approval, according to a list of properties released by New York-based A&G Real Estate Partners, which is marketing the chain’s real estate wind-down. Altogether, A&G lists 1,194 Rite Aid retail leases and 50 fee-owned properties for sale.

Rite Aid customers should expect their local stores to close or change ownership in the next few months. However, the drugstore said that it will work to ensure that customer prescriptions are transferred to other pharmacies as it goes through the sale process.

The Philadelphia-based company plans to sell customer prescription files, inventory and other assets as it closes distribution centers and unloads store locations. Rite Aid isn’t buying new inventory, so bare shelves will likely become more common.

In 2023, the chain closed six Baltimore-area drugstores as it shed 154 stores in 15 states during its initial bankruptcy filing.

Button said Harford County is also partnering with the Susquehanna Workforce Network to help displaced workers.

“Given the strong demand in Harford County’s growing manufacturing and technology sectors, we believe that many of these individuals will find new opportunities with other local employers,” he said.

As for the distribution center, Button said Harford County has robust interest from companies looking to relocate to the region.

“We are optimistic that this facility will soon serve as a new home for one of these businesses.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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