BUCKHANNON – Rite Aid will become an official Walgreens Feb. 7, 2020.

Alexandra Brown with Walgreens media relations said the store will undergo the transformation over the next month and then close beginning Feb. 3, but the pharmacy will remain open.

“The store already has a Walgreens pharmacy, and at the end of this process, it will have Walgreens interior and exterior design and point of sale and pharmacy systems,” Brown said. “Although this process will involve some changes to the store’s pharmacy system, there should not be any interruption to patients’ experiences with the pharmacy team they know and trust.”

She said once the transition is complete, customers will be able to utilize more Walgreens services like online and mobile prescription management tools and 24/7 access to pharmacy staff. The new Walgreens location will also have their Walgreens owned-brand products in the store such as No7, FedEx shipping and pickup services and Walgreens’ customer loyalty program.

Brown said some of the other changes people can expect to see relate to signage, a new interior design and new operating systems.

“Most customers will not experience any changes to their prescription price or coverage,” Brown said. “Customers can speak with their pharmacist about their prescription – since each Walgreens-owned Rite Aid store already has a Walgreens pharmacy, patients will continue to see the store team that they’ve trusted with their family’s care.”

According to its website, Walgreens was founded in 1901 as a single store, but as of Aug. 30, 2019, the pharmacy retail chain operated more than 9,200 stores in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The closest Walgreens stores are located in Philippi, Elkins and Nutter Fort.