CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Fruth, which has a dozen stores in West Virginia, has announced a sale of its pharmacies to Walgreens.
Fruth has served residents in the Mountain State since 1952 when founder Jack Fruth opened the first store in Point Pleasant.
Fruth’s daughter, Lynne Fruth, took over the business in 2009, a few years after her father died.
She released a statement Wednesday, saying Fruth has been a staple in the area for decades.
“I am proud of the many contributions that Fruth Pharmacy has made over the past 73 years. Fruth Pharmacy led the way in fighting drug abuse and providing scholarships to hundreds of deserving students. More recently, Fruth was critical in providing testing and vaccinations during the pandemic and fighting for legislation to ensure that pharmacies could survive in rural areas. Fruth pharmacists have provided excellent care in their communities by putting patients first. We trust that Walgreens will continue to offer great care that is needed in WV and OH. We are pleased that Walgreens will be interviewing and offering positions to many Fruth employees,” the statement read.
Fruth also claims their recent struggles have to do with reduced reimbursement rates from third parties.
“Pharmacies have been under attack by greedy PBMs (Pharmacy Benefit Managers) for many years. By reimbursing pharmacies less money than a medication costs, PBMs have caused the closure of thousands of pharmacies across America. The continued closings of pharmacies must be a wakeup call for lawmakers to hold PBMs accountable before all pharmacies disappear. The leadership of Fruth Pharmacy will continue to fight for the practice of pharmacy and to save community pharmacy in our area, and the Fruth Scholarship Program will continue to help deserving students,” she said.
Fruth’s pharmacies will be sold on December 3. The retail side of the stores will remain open through the end of the year.