As pharmacies shutter, some Western states, Black and Latino communities are left behind

Opening stores used to mean everything to pharmacy chains. Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print In rural areas, drugstores often serve multiple roles for their communities, with pharmacists seeing regular customers more than a doctor does, said Megan Undeberg, a community pharmacy expert at Washington State University. Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print PACE OF DRUGSTORES CLOSING The big drugstore chains still have thousands of locations, and the AP’s analysis counted more than 24,000 independent pharmacies. Prakash Patel, owner and pharmacist, foreground, works at Bert’s Pharmacy in Elizabeth, N.J. Prakash Patel, owner and pharmacist, foreground, works at Bert’s Pharmacy in Elizabeth, N.J. Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Blame the closings on problems like sliding revenue and rising expenses. Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print “I don’t think walking into the pharmacy two or three times a week and doing those little impulse buys in the front of the store as often,” Jonas said.