Sep 11, 2006 By Christine Haines 2 min read

It’s going to be at least three more months before the potential local impact of Rite Aid’s plans to purchase Eckerd and Brooks stores is known. Rite Aid, which is based in Camp Hill, announced in late August that it intends to purchase 1,858 drugstores and six distribution centers from the Jean Coutu Group headquartered in Quebec. Rite Aid headquarters will remain in Camp Hill, although the Coutu Group will be the company’s largest shareholder.

There are both Rite Aid and Eckerd stores in Uniontown and in the Brownsville area. Employees have been given information packets to let them know what will happen with their benefits once the $3.4 billion sale is finalized, but they don’t know if their stores will remain open.

Rite Aid spokeswoman Ashley Flower said neither the customers nor the employees should see any major changes because of the purchase.

“If we have to close a store because it’s very close, the transaction will be seamless to customers. All their records will be transferred to the nearest store. The associates would also be transferred to a nearby store,” Flower said.

Flower said there are no anticipated job losses because of the proposed acquisition.

Rite Aid has a strong presence along the East Coast, with stores from New York to Atlanta.

The acquisition of the Eckerd and Brooks stores will make it the largest drugstore chain operator on the East Coast, and Rite Aid officials said the purchase is designed to help it keep pace with the larger Walgreen and CVS pharmacies.

“The transaction will be completed early next calendar year,” Flower said.

Every store that is being purchased will be affected in some way during the first year, with Rite Aid saying it will commit $500 million in the first year to remodel and re-merchandise the stores, as well as changing the computer systems and the signage at the stores.