Rite Aid is in the process of closing one of its Merced locations.

The store is located at 1158 West Main Street in Merced.

The company announced late last year that it was closing at least 63 stores in 2022.

These closures are a part of a strategy to “reduce costs, drive improved profitability and ensure that we have a healthy foundation to grow from, with the right stores in the right locations,” said Rite Aid’s president and chief executive officer Heyward Donigan in a statement last year. The company expects to save $25 million with the move.

“It’s sad to see this store leave, it’s been here since I was a kid”, a customer who wished to remain anonymous told Merced Golden Wire News.

The Merced Rite Aid closure was not confirmed to be part of the list of the 60+ stores closing due to the companies plan.

A store associate told Merced Golden Wire News the closure was due to the owner raising the property costs.