Wisconsin Communities Impacted by Walgreens Cuts—Is Your Pharmacy at Risk?

Wisconsin residents will soon see significant changes in their local pharmacy landscape as Walgreens prepares to shutter numerous locations across the state in 2025. This development comes as part of the pharmacy giant’s nationwide restructuring plan that aims to eliminate 500 underperforming stores in its initial phase.

The closures stem from a substantial $1 billion cost-reduction strategy announced by Walgreens Boots Alliance CEO Tim Wentworth last year. Industry analysts note that this is just the beginning of a more extensive consolidation effort that could eventually see approximately 1,200 Walgreens locations close their doors over the next several years.

Wisconsin appears to be particularly affected, with 14 locations slated for closure, primarily concentrated in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. The Milwaukee region will lose eight stores, while other closures will impact Madison, West Bend, Fond du Lac, and Merrill communities.

The pharmacy chain, which currently maintains approximately 8,500 locations throughout the United States, has revealed that nearly a quarter of its stores are operating at a loss. By 2027, the company projects that roughly one in seven Walgreens locations nationwide will have been shuttered as part of this strategic realignment.

This trend reflects broader challenges facing traditional brick-and-mortar pharmacies as they contend with escalating operational costs, evolving consumer shopping preferences, and intensifying competition from online pharmaceutical retailers. Walgreens’ primary competitor, CVS, has implemented similar downsizing measures in recent years.