After months of pandemic-related financial strain and years of uncertainty over its future, Bartell Drugs, one of the oldest companies in Washington state and one of the most familiar names in the local business community, is being sold, our online news partner The Seattle Times reported Wednesday.
Bartell has stores in Edmonds, Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace.
The 67-store regional drugstore chain, which has been owned by the same family since its founding in Seattle’s Central District in 1890, will be acquired by Rite Aid for $95 million, the companies announced Wednesday.
“We felt that this was the only answer,” said George D. Bartell, co-owner and chairman of the company his grandfather, George H. Bartell Sr., founded 130 years ago. “It was getting more difficult for regional operators to compete in the market.”
You can read more in The Times story here.
I saw Bartell’s supplement in Sunday’s Seattle Times showing much of their history with pictures and never dreamed they were considering selling the company. My daughter, a pharmacy assistant, has worked for Bartell’s for years. So sorry the pandemic created this necessity.
So sorry to hear of another victim to Covid. Another long-term family business is closing. So sad!
The downtown Seattle Bartell’s was besieged by the “Five finger discounts”, with little support to stop it from that clever progressive Seattle city government
A bit sad to read about this sale, but I will keep shopping at Bartell’s as long as the company name and current employees remain.
I love Bartell’s. Always went there rather than another drug store. Their products, layout, was somehow so warm and friendly. I would look around and find things I needed besides what I came for. More of the brands I like, not just store brands. I loved all of the Christmas goodies they had. Some great small gifts, nice candy and chocolates. Types of candy I had at my grandma’s house. Yes, so so sad to hear this. But I understand. Maybe movie theaters are gone now too….
I thank the Bartell family for running such wonderful stores for as long as they did… THANK YOU .
I love Bartells. I wish the family well and will miss Bartells very much.
I wonder if the Bartell family ever explored the possibility of changing to an employee owned model of operation similar to the Winco concept? Never cared much for Walgreens or Rite-Aid; but Bartell’s was great, with seemingly happy and helpful employees. A few years ago Rite-Aid was in danger of bankruptcy with a rep. for bad management as I remember.
I am so very sad to learn that family-owned Bartell’s will no longer be in existence. My favorite neighborhood pharmacy store here in Edmonds for the last 11 years, and before that in Seattle and Bellevue, I am even sadder still to hear it will be taken over by RiteAid, another huge corporation that has none of the same homey and friendly characteristics of Bartell’s. It is always easy to find what I want there and one doesn’t have to walk around getting lost in so many aisles as in the big stores. I wish the Bartell family all the best. I hear there is a new pharmacy on 5th and it’s getting good reviews from people. I’m going to be checking it out.