EASTHAMPTON — In its prominent downtown location, the Walgreens on Union Street is a popular destination for Easthampton residents looking to pick up needed medications or maybe a quick snack. But now, signs hang in the store notifying customers that the store is slated for closure in late March.

Store management explained that the closure is just one of many as the company carries out a three-year plan initiated in fall of 2024 including more than a thousand of such closures.

“Unfortunately, we happen to be one of those locations,” said Store Manager Nicholas Newell.

The company announced last October that it would close about 1,200 stores over three years as part of an effort to cut costs amid retail competition and shrinking payouts from prescriptions. The Union Street Walgreens is one of about 500 stores designated for closure in fiscal year 2025 as part of this plan for a turnaround.

The final day of operation for the Union Street Walgreens will be March 25, on which day the store will close at noon.

Newell said that, for most Easthampton customers, the next closest Walgreens location will likely be in Southampton but that they can pick up their prescriptions “pretty much anywhere in the world that there’s a Walgreens.” Additionally, Newell noted that there are locations slightly further away in Holyoke and Northampton, all of which will have access to customers’ profiles through the Walgreens system.

In the meantime, though, the store and its pharmacy will remain open for its normal business hours. However, convenience store items will not continue to be restocked as the store prepares to close. Newell said that as the closure date draws closer, items will begin to be marked down to encourage their sale as well. Medications and pharmacy items, on the other hand, will continue to be ordered and replenished as needed.

Newell said there are about 20 employees at the Union Street Walgreens but that they will all go on to work at other Walgreens locations.

Walgreens corporate media relations did not respond immediately for comment.

Alexa Lewis can be reached at alewis@gazettenet.com.