Rite Aid to build $600M distribution center

Rite Aid Corp. announced plans to build its first new distribution center in 15 years, a 900,000-sq.-ft. facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

The new, $90 million center, set to open in 2016, will employ nearly 600 people after it becomes fully operational and will support the inventory and fulfillment needs of approximately 1,000 Rite Aid stores in the southeastern United States.

“Spartanburg is an ideal location for our new distribution center,” said John Standley, Rite Aid chairman and CEO. “We thank the state of South Carolina for their cooperation and support during our site selection process and we look forward to breaking ground on our new facility which will help us to further optimize our supply chain and better serve our stores and customers across the Southeast.”

In April 2014, after a comprehensive review of its supply chain and logistics network, Rite Aid announced its plan to consolidate three of its existing distribution centers, located in Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Charlotte, N.C.; and Poca West Virginia, into one new facility, as part of its ongoing efforts to improve operating efficiency across the company. Rite Aid is working with Johnson Development Associates, a leading real estate development firm based in Spartanburg, on the project.