Rite Aid Starts Reopening Gulf Coast Stores After Hurricane Gustav

Business Wire, Sept 3, 2008

Hurricane Gustav Evacuees Can Fill Prescriptions at Any Open Rite Aid Store in Any State with Rite Aid's National Pharmacy Network

Rite Aid Foundation Donates $75,000 to Aid Victims of Hurricane Gustav Through the American Red Cross

Rite Aid Stores Stock Up with Emergency Supplies to Help Residents Get Ready for Hurricane Hanna

CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Please replace the release with the following corrected version due to multiple revisions.

The corrected release reads:

RITE AID STARTS REOPENING GULF COAST STORES AFTER HURRICANE GUSTAV

Hurricane Gustav Evacuees Can Fill Prescriptions at Any Open Rite Aid Store in Any State with Rite Aid's National Pharmacy Network

Rite Aid Foundation Donates $75,000 to Aid Victims of Hurricane Gustav Through the American Red Cross

Rite Aid Stores Stock Up with Emergency Supplies to Help Residents Get Ready for Hurricane Hanna

Rite Aid said today it is starting to reopen Gulf Coast stores impacted by Hurricane Gustav evacuations in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The company said it would work to open other Rite Aid stores temporarily closed as soon as possible. Stores may be closed because of local government mandatory evacuation.

A list of the 13 stores that have reopened follows. Some are open in the front end only; others are fully open, including the pharmacy. Customers and patients should check how much of an individual store is open. As some stores fall under local government curfews, customers should also check with the individual store for current operating hours. Store location information is available by calling 1-800-RITEAID (1-800-748-3243) and pressing "0" or by visiting www.riteaid.com. The Web site features a daily updated listing of open and closed Rite Aid stores in the hurricane-affected areas.

Rite Aid store #7183, 2912 Dauphin Island, Parkway, Mobile, AL (Store and pharmacy are open)

Rite Aid store #7301, 2016 N. Parkerson Avenue, Crowley, LA (Store and pharmacy are open, 5 p.m. curfew)

Rite Aid store #7342, 219 McArthur Road, Alexandria, LA (Store and pharmacy are open)

Rite Aid store #7298, 4510 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Lafayette, LA (Store and pharmacy open, 3 p.m. curfew)

Rite Aid store #7296, 4710 Johnston Street, Lafayette, LA (Store and pharmacy open, 6 p.m. curfew)

Rite Aid store #7238, 800 Metairie Road, Suite D, Metairie, LA (Store and pharmacy are open)

Rite Aid store #7226, 4031 Popps Ferry Road Suite A, Diberville, MS (Store and pharmacy are open)

Rite Aid store #7223, 11279 Highway 49, Gulfport, MS (Store and pharmacy are open)

Rite Aid store #7227, 200 West Railroad Street, Suite B, Long Beach, MS (Store open, pharmacy closed)

Rite Aid store #7228, 3082 Bienville Boulevard, Ocean Springs, MS (Store open, pharmacy closed)

Rite Aid store #7222, 416 Memorial Boulevard, Picayune, MS (Store open, pharmacy closed)

Rite Aid store #7381, 403 Highway 90, Waveland, MS (Store open, pharmacy closed)

Rite Aid store #7231, 1703 Delaware Avenue, McComb, MS (Store and pharmacy open, 6 p.m. curfew)

Rite Aid will open other stores as soon as possible. Tractor trailer trucks loaded with extra supplies are waiting outside affected areas for safe delivery and to determine most immediate need. Extra generators and diesel fuel to run them also are waiting to be delivered as stores can open in areas without power. Hundreds of Rite Aid associates from other areas including pharmacists are on standby to assist with the expected demand. Assessments will be made for mobile units and additional storefronts that may be used when the full effect of the storm is known. The company is ready to take the same steps for Tropical Storm Hanna as it did with Hurricane Gustav.

Residents displaced by the Hurricane can visit any open Rite Aid in any city in any state for their prescriptions because the company's satellite-linked computer network assures a complete customer prescription history at any Rite Aid store. Because of the state of emergency, Rite Aid pharmacies also can access prescription information for patients who do not normally get their prescriptions at Rite Aid.

Rite Aid Makes $75,000 Donation to The American Red Cross

Rite Aid also has made a $75,000 donation to The American Red Cross to help the victims, families and communities affected by Hurricane Gustav and is working with The American Red Cross to assess specific needs for other donations of supplies.

"Our hearts go out to the victims, families and communities affected by Hurricane Gustav. I am also very appreciative of all our pharmacists and other associates that have worked so hard to keep our stores open and will be reopening stores as soon as that can be done safely," said Mary Sammons, Rite Aid chairman, president and CEO. "We are hoping that our donation to The American Red Cross can help make it just a little easier for those who have been impacted the most."

Rite Aid Corporation (NYSE: RAD) is one of the nation's leading drugstore chains with approximately 5,000 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia with fiscal 2008 annual sales of more than $24.3 billion. Information about Rite Aid, including corporate background and press releases, is available through the company's website at http://www.riteaid.com.