NOTE: This post comes from outside the blog's coverage area.
The Mauldin, SC Kmart was a fairly average older store with the garden shop jutting out into the parking lot. It featured a pharmacy, but it did have a cafe. The building appears to now be used by a BinTime and Boxbids, some sort of bin store and bidding warehouse.
The closure of the entire Rite Aid chain is a sad thing to see for sure. While not surprising for a company entering bankruptcy for a second-time, these closures will hit rural areas especially hard. This is particularly the case in my region. Rite Aid just last year bought out a local pharmacy chain making it the last pharmacy in operation a lot of communities around here. While visiting a couple of different locations, I couldn't help but overhear customers and employees unsure of where they will go to get their prescriptions filled.
I've personally visited this particular Rite Aid a number of times over the years for personal reasons, so here's a look at some of the photos I've taken. This will be followed by my most recent visit (and final one) which showcases the lack of product and acts as a way of saying goodbye.
Despite Rite Aid's demise, there is at least some good news for the local area. One independent pharmacy operator does remain in Sprout's of Shinglehouse. From what I hear, it is getting an influx of business and may even open a second location in Coudersport. If it wasn't for Sprouts, it would require an at least 25-mile drive to the next possible pharmacy for some communities.
