Park Slope Pharmacy Abruptly Closes After Rite Aid Buyout

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN — Park Slope Pharmacy, on the corner of Eighth Avenue and Eighth Street, abruptly closed on Wednesday after it was sold to Rite Aid, leaving people in the neighborhood wondering what happened to their local pharmacy on such short notice.

We first got word via Twitter, where a few helpful readers told us what they saw.

And a poster on the shuttered windows directs people to the Rite Aid, on Seventh Avenue and Fifth Street, to get their prescriptions.

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We called the phone number for Park Slope Pharmacy, which connected us with a man who identified himself as Roman, a worker at the Rite Aid. When we asked what happened to Park Slope Pharmacy, he told us "They got bought out by Rite Aid."

Roman, who didn't give his last name, said the store closed Wednesday.

A Rite Aid spokeswoman confirmed this account (scroll down for her full statement).

When we visited the shuttered pharmacy Thursday, a man standing outside shook his head at the postings and said, "Sign of the times."

Ashley Flower, a spokeswoman for Rite Aid's corporate media relations department, sent this statement in an email to Patch on Thursday:

The last day of business for Park Slope Pharmacy was yesterday; beginning today, Park Slope Pharmacy customers could be served at the Rite Aid located at 249 7th Avenue. We have been working with Park Slope Pharmacy to ensure it was a seamless transition for customers.

We are excited about welcoming our new customers to Rite Aid and introducing them to all we have to offer including our unique brand of health and wellness products and pharmacy services; expanded hours and merchandise, our wellness+ with Plenti loyalty program and more, all while delivering the same level of care they are used to receiving.

Flower declined to provide details about the sale.

Andi Peretz, who lives on Eighth Street and was a long-time pharmacy-goer, told us she had a great relationship with the pharmacy's owner, Brian Fines.

Peretz said she "depended on his personal service and advice and am very upset to see yet another local business forced out."

"He explained to me that the changing times promote prescription refills from online vendors and generally people do not use their local pharmacy for refills when the incentive is to do it online. He couldn’t compete," Peretz said.

"He will be missed, but we wish him the best of luck in retirement and thank him for all his years of service to the community."

We've reached out to Fines and we'll let you know if we hear back.

Know anything more? Want to share a favorite memory about the pharmacy? Email marc.torrence@patch.com, and keep the tips coming.

Image: Marc Torrence