Tom Tolen / news@whmi.com

Despite its strategic location at the busy intersection of Main St. and Grand River in downtown Brighton, the Brighton CVS store will be closing its doors next month.

Shift Manager Sherie Combs confirmed today that the store will be permanently closing on Sept. 24th. About a dozen employees will be affected by the closure. Employees say they have been told they would be eligible for similar positions at other CVS stores in Southeastern Michigan.

It’s all part of a nationwide trend involving drug store chains. At least 300 CVS stores across the country will be closing this year, something that began two years ago. Since 2022, the company has closed roughly 600 stores. USA Today reports that the closures are part of the company’s plans to shutter 900 stores — or 10% — nationwide.

About 5,000 employees nationally will be displaced as a result of the spate of recent closures. The company has stated that affected employees at CVS stores slated to be closed will be offered the same or equivalent positions at other locations.

As of 2023, CVS was the nation’s largest pharmacy chain with about 9,600 stores, placing it ahead of second place Walgreens. Regardless of the announced closures, CVS Health’s revenue for the 12 months ending June 30th of this year totaled $363 billion, a healthy 7% increase over last year.

CVS spokesperson Amy Thibault says the closings “are based on our evaluation of changes in population, consumer buying patterns and future health needs to ensure we have the right pharmacy format in the right locations for patients.”

However, others are saying the wholesale closures are a result of multi-billion dollar lawsuits involving sales of opioids. According to USA Today, CVS has been ordered to pay $5 billion over the next decade stemming from court cases.

There are no plans to close the CVS store at Old US-23 and Grand River in Brighton Township, just 1.3 miles from the downtown Brighton store. In fact, a spokesperson said all patients whose prescriptions were being filled at the downtown store are being transferred to the store in Brighton Township.

The impending Brighton CVS store closure follows the shuttering of Rite Aid stores in the area, including the former store in the Cross Grand Plaza in Brighton, which closed in 2022. On Wednesday, Rite Aid announced it was closing all 170 remining stores in Michigan, including the one at 75 S. Dexter in Pinckney.