Tops Closing 27 In-store Pharmacies

Tops Markets LLC plans to close 27 pharmacy departments locations "to reinvest in its stores and use the additional space to offer shoppers more product choices," according to the company.

Many of the affected in-store pharmacies, including locations in New York state's Erie, Chemung, Onandaga and Monroe counties, will close later this month. Williamsville-based Tops will transfer customer scripts and inventory to five CVS/Pharmacy and 22 Rite Aid locations near each affected supermarket.

According to the grocer, "The transaction accounts for less than 20 percent of the company's prescription volume, and Tops will continue to serve customers from 52 pharmacy locations within its network of stores."

"Tops does not have a one-size-fits-all approach to our stores, which means our neighborhood locations vary greatly by size and offering," explained Frank Curci, the company's chairman, president and CEO. "Space inside some of our supermarkets is at a premium, and some of our locations are not filling enough prescriptions to make the most efficient use of our resources. A business decision was made to close out select pharmacy departments."

In place of the closing pharmacies, Tops will expand health, beauty, fresh food, deli and other offerings.

"This transition allows us to better focus on what Tops does best: providing our customers with the widest selection of what they want most, at the price that gives them the most value," added Curci. "Across our stores, customers tell us they love and want more options that busy, healthy families need today -- like fresh produce, prepared foods, natural organics and other health-and-wellness options."

Despite the closures, Tops said it would include new pharmacies in selected supermarkets as part of its continued expansion, and noted that most customers would see no changes in their shopping experience.

Employing more than 16,000 associates, Tops operates 162 stores in upstate New York, northern Pennsylvania and western Vermont.