Bartell Drugs
| Company type | Private (before acquisition) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Pharmacy |
| Founded | January 1, 1890 in Seattle, Washington, United States |
| Founder | George H. Bartell Sr. |
| Defunct | 2025 |
| Fate | Acquired by Rite Aid in 2020; stores closed or rebranded by 2025 |
| Successor | CVS Pharmacy (rebranded stores) |
| Headquarters | Des Moines , United States |
Area served | Seattle metropolitan region |
Key people | George H. Bartell Sr. (founder), George H. Bartell Jr., George D. Bartell, Brian Unmacht (former CEO), Kathi Lentzsch (former CEO) |
| Products | Pharmacy services, retail drugstore products, CBD products |
| Parent | Rite Aid (2020–2025) |
Bartell Drugs, officially known as The Bartell Drug Company, was a regional pharmacy chain based in Des Moines, Washington, primarily serving the Seattle metropolitan region. Established in 1890 by entrepreneur George H. Bartell Sr., it was among the oldest family-operated drugstore chains in the United States until its acquisition by Rite Aid in 2020. Following financial difficulties faced by Rite Aid, roughly half of Bartell's 41 stores had closed by 2025, with the remaining outlets rebranded under CVS Pharmacy after Rite Aid's liquidation.
1890 to 1956
The origins of Bartell Drugs trace back to when George H. Bartell Sr. acquired Lake Washington Pharmacy located in Seattle’s Central District. The business expanded with a second outlet in Downtown Seattle by 1898 and continued to grow with additional stores near Pike Place Market and on Second Avenue. By 1930, the company operated 15 locations, and leadership shifted to George H. Bartell Jr. in 1939. Upon Bartell Sr.'s passing in 1956, the chain had expanded to 23 drugstores, securing a significant foothold within the regional market.
1956 to 1984
Over subsequent years, the number of stores decreased, leaving only 12 by 1961 under the stewardship of George D. Bartell, the founder’s grandson. In 1966, a 13th store was launched outside King County in Edmonds, Washington. By 1980, the family had grown the chain to encompass 17 stores.
1990s
By the year 1990, Bartell Drugs operated 31 outlets, marking its 100th anniversary. The company extended its reach beyond Seattle in 1991 by opening a new store in Gig Harbor within Pierce County. In 1993, Jean Bartell Barber, granddaughter of the founder, joined the company.
2000 and beyond
George D. Bartell held the roles of Chairman and CEO until 2015. In April of that year, Brian Unmacht—a former executive at REI—became the first CEO from outside the family, while Jean Bartell Barber assumed positions as Vice Chairman and Treasurer. Unmacht departed after two years in March 2017.
Bartell Drugs collaborated with Amazon to provide same-day delivery through Prime Now for non-prescription products. In January 2018, Kathi Lentzsch was named CEO, becoming only the second outsider to hold that position. That same year saw Bartell introduce CBD products into their offerings. By February 2019, the chain operated 68 stores throughout Puget Sound, each customized to serve its local community. Lentzsch resigned in December 2020 following the company’s acquisition by Rite Aid.
Acquisition by Rite Aid and closure
On October 7, 2020, Bartell Drugs revealed it would be sold to Pennsylvania-based Rite Aid for $95 million. At that time, Bartell managed 69 locations across King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties. The transaction was completed on December 18, 2020. By 2023, Rite Aid had shuttered six Seattle stores including the flagship location in the Chinatown–International District and Bartell’s sole 24-hour pharmacy situated in Lower Queen Anne.
Facing numerous opioid-related lawsuits and other legal pressures, Rite Aid filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on October 15, 2023. By December of that year, closures had affected 21 former Bartell stores acquired during the purchase—including five downtown Seattle locations—with customers noting deteriorating service quality and reduced product availability. As of January 2025, Bartell maintained operations at 40 sites; however, its University Village store closed that same month.
On May 5, 2025, Rite Aid again filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy with reported assets and liabilities ranging between $1 billion and $10 billion. Confronted with heavy debt loads alongside competitive and inflationary pressures, Rite Aid announced plans involving asset divestitures—including those related to Bartell Drugs—employee layoffs, and additional store shutdowns.
On May 15, 2025, Rite Aid sold pharmacy operations from over a thousand stores to various competitors. CVS Pharmacy obtained prescription records from more than 600 stores and purchased ownership of 64 retail locations across Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. In June of that year, CVS disclosed plans to rebrand the remaining twenty Bartell outlets as CVS Pharmacy stores. The first location converted under this initiative opened in Newcastle in July; final transitions are anticipated by September 2025. Additionally, CVS acquired prescription files from fourteen other Bartell stores without intentions to rebrand those specific sites.
Legacy and Impact
In December 2004, the Seattle alternative rock group Harvey Danger released an EP titled Sometimes You Have to Work on Christmas (Sometimes), which includes a mention of Bartell Drugs in its second verse.
External links
- Metropolis 7 - Bartell Drugs Overview of advertising campaigns developed for Bartell Drugs by the agency Metropolis 7
- Articles with short description
- American companies established in 1890
- 1890 establishments in Washington (state)
- Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2023
- Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2025
- Pharmacies of the United States
- Companies based in Seattle
- Retail companies established in 1890
- Health care companies based in Washington (state)
- 2020 mergers and acquisitions
- Rite Aid
- American companies disestablished in 2025
- Retail companies disestablished in 2025
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- Companies of the United States by year of establishment