Rite Aid moving headquarters to South Philadelphia
Rite Aid, founded in 1962, has more than 2,500 retail pharmacy locations across 17 states.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Rite Aid is moving its headquarters to Philadelphia in what it calls a site "designed specifically for in-person collaboration and company gatherings, rather than office spaces."
The new "enterprise headquarters" will be located in the former Navy Yard in South Philadelphia, offering a space for teams across Rite Aid's various businesses - including Rite Aid retail, Elixir, Health Dialog and Bartell Drugs - to "meet, collaborate, engage clients and partners, and cultivate the kind of strong professional relationships that serve as the bedrock for successful remote teams."
In addition, planned "regional collaboration centers" across the country will allow teams to come together for in-person meetings, training and development and more, the company said.
The company said an internal survey indicates that most Rite Aid corporate associates, who have been working remotely since early in the COVID-19 pandemic, prefer working from home but also want opportunities to meet, collaborate and learn together in person.
Rite Aid tells Action News that its employees will continue to work remotely for the foreseeable future.
Some Center City businesses are wondering how the move away from traditional office spaces will affect their bottom line.
Yehuda Sichel opened up his sandwich-themed restaurant during the beginning of the pandemic. He said he strategically signed his lease at Ranstead and 18th streets with the plan to target mostly a specific clientele: those working in the towering office buildings of Philadelphia.
But it's no secret that when the pandemic started, so did remote work. He says that's still largely the case.
"You know it's not ideal. We'd love for people to be back at the office having their corporate lunches, having their corporate dinners," said Sichel.
Rite Aid, founded in 1962, says it has more than 2,500 retail pharmacy locations across 17 states.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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