It is a strange feeling to walk past a place that used to be the heartbeat of a neighborhood and find it quiet. For years, the Rite Aid at Figueroa and Vernon (officially 4322 South Figueroa Street) wasn't just a place to grab a prescription. It was where you went for a last-minute birthday card, a gallon of milk when the grocery store lines were too long, and, of course, that iconic Thrifty ice cream on a sweltering South LA afternoon.
Now, things look different.
The retail landscape in Los Angeles has been through a blender over the last two years. If you’ve driven by the corner of Figueroa and Vernon lately, you’ve probably noticed the shift. This wasn't just a random "underperforming" store closure. It was part of a massive, industry-shaking collapse that saw one of America’s biggest pharmacy chains essentially vanish from the map.
What actually happened to Rite Aid at Figueroa and Vernon?
Honestly, the story of this specific location is a microcosm of Rite Aid’s entire downfall. By mid-2025, the company had entered its second Chapter 11 bankruptcy in less than two years. Think about that for a second. Most companies don't survive one bankruptcy; Rite Aid tried to outrun the inevitable twice.
By June 30, 2025, the store at 4322 S. Figueroa St. was officially slated for closure.
It wasn't a sudden "lights out" overnight. It was a slow, painful wind-down. First, the shelves started looking a little thin. You’d go in for dish soap or a specific brand of vitamins, and there’d just be empty space where the product used to be. Then came the signs about the pharmacy records. For a lot of people in the 90037 zip code, this was the biggest blow.
The pharmacy at Figueroa and Vernon didn't just disappear into thin air; the records were legally required to be transferred to ensure patients didn't miss their meds. In this case, many of the local files were moved to the CVS at 5822 South Vermont Avenue.
The real reasons behind the closure
People love to blame one thing. Some say it was the retail theft—which, to be fair, was a massive problem across LA. Others point to the "pharmacy deserts" being created by corporate greed. But the truth is a lot messier.
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- The Opioid Litigation: This was the anchor that dragged the whole ship down. Rite Aid was facing thousands of lawsuits related to how they handled prescription painkillers. The legal fees and potential settlements were in the billions.
- The "Amazon Effect": Let’s be real. When's the last time you bought a toaster at a drugstore? Rite Aid was stuck in a model where they relied on people buying high-margin "front of store" items (makeup, snacks, toys) while they waited for prescriptions. But now? People just order that stuff on their phones.
- The Debt Trap: They were carrying over $2 billion in debt even after their first attempt to restructure. You can't run a business when almost every dollar you make goes to paying off interest.
By the time October 2025 rolled around, the "Defunct" tag was officially applied to the brand. Every single Rite Aid store in the country—including our neighborhood spots in Los Angeles—closed its doors for good.
Why this corner matters to South LA
South Figueroa is a busy corridor. It’s a mix of local car washes, fast food, and residential pockets. When a major anchor like Rite Aid leaves, it creates a vacuum.
For the seniors living nearby, that walk to Figueroa and Vernon was manageable. Now, a trip to the pharmacy might involve a bus ride or a much longer walk to Vermont or Main Street. It’s an "access" issue that often gets ignored in corporate boardrooms.
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And then there’s the Thrifty ice cream factor. It sounds silly, but that was a genuine community "third space." Seeing a kid with a cylindrical scoop of Chocolate Malted Krunch was a staple of the Figueroa streetscape. Losing that small bit of affordable joy makes the neighborhood feel a little colder.
The current status: What’s there now?
As of early 2026, the building at 4322 S. Figueroa remains a significant piece of real estate. Because it’s a large, freestanding building with parking, it’s a prime target for redevelopment.
There have been rumblings in the LA commercial real estate world about what happens to these "zombie" Rite Aids. Some are being eyed for conversion into community health clinics—which would be a poetic full-circle moment—while others are being looked at by discount grocers or even "last-mile" delivery hubs for companies like Amazon.
Basically, the era of the giant, all-in-one neighborhood drugstore is over.
Actionable steps for former customers
If you used to frequent the Figueroa and Vernon location and are still feeling the "pharmacy fatigue," here is what you need to do to stay on top of your health and shopping:
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- Verify Your Records: Even though records were sent to CVS, things get lost in the shuffle. If you haven't filled a script in a while, call the CVS on Vermont (323-750-5222) to ensure your history and insurance info are correctly ported over.
- Request Digital History: You can still request your immunization and prescription history through the Rite Aid corporate "records request" portal online. Do this now before those legacy systems eventually get archived or harder to access.
- Explore Local Alternatives: Don't forget the smaller players. Vernbro Medical Pharmacy on West Vernon Ave is literally 0.3 miles away. Sometimes the "mom and pop" spots offer better service than the big chains that just went belly up.
- Watch the Real Estate: Keep an eye on local community council meetings. The future of that Figueroa and Vernon lot will impact your property value and neighborhood safety. If they propose something that doesn't fit the community, your voice is the only thing that stops it.
The Rite Aid at Figueroa and Vernon is gone, but the corner remains. Whether it becomes a new clinic, a grocery store, or something else entirely, it’s a stark reminder that even the biggest corporate giants aren't permanent fixtures in our lives.