Rite-Aid purchases Community Pharmacy stores

MADAWASKA – Two St. John Valley towns will be left without pharmaceutical competition in two weeks when Community Pharmacy stores in Madawaska and Fort Kent close their doors.

The two outlets, and another in Houlton, have been bought by Rite-Aid Pharmacies. All three Community Pharmacy stores will be closed.

While there will be no competition for Rite-Aid in Fort Kent and Madawaska, Houlton has another pharmacy at the local Wal-Mart store, and a third may be opening at the local Shop ‘n Save grocery store.

Fort Kent and Madawaska will find themselves in the same situation they were in before Community Pharmacies came to the towns in 1999.

A fourth Community Pharmacy store in Eagle Lake also was sold. That was purchased by its own pharmacist, Charles Ouellette. Ouellette said he will operate the facility, keeping two local technicians as his employees.

A company official with Community Pharmacy said there would be no job losses in the transfer. Steve Zanardi, vice president of the Augusta-based company, said Rite-Aid offered all 40 full- and part-time employees jobs.

Zanardi said Rite-Aid was also purchasing its stores in Fairfield and Gray. Community Pharmacy will be left with eight stores, all in southern Maine.