PHILADELPHIA - February 2026 is shaping up to be a historic and turbulent month for Philadelphia retail. While the city often sees post-holiday adjustments, this month brings the sudden collapse of a major grocery experiment and the looming departure of a Center City icon.
From the closure of Amazon's high-tech supermarkets to the heartbreaking news about the Wanamaker Building, here is what is closing in the Philadelphia region this month.
1. Amazon Fresh: The Total Wipeout
- The Status: Complete Regional Exit
- The Date: FebFebruary 1026
- The Scoop: In a stunning reversal, Amazon is permanently pulling the plug on its "Amazon Fresh" grocery brand in Pennsylvania. As of Sunday, February 1, every single Amazon Fresh location in the Philadelphia region will close its doors.
- The Impact: This affects a large area of the suburbs and a key city location. The dark storefronts include:
- Northern Liberties (Philadelphia): The brand new store at 5th & Spring Garden.
- Bensalem: Street Road location.
- Broomall: Springfield Road.
- Warrington: Easton Road.
- Willow Grove: Park Avenue.
- Langhorne: Oxford Valley.
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The Twist: While the "Fresh" banner is dead, the real estate might not stay empty. Amazon has hinted that some of these locations could be converted into Whole Foods Markets later in 2026, though specific sites haven't been confirmed.
2. Rite Aid
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The Status: Finalizing the Exit
- The Scoop: Following its second bankruptcy filing, the Philadelphia-born pharmacy chain is in the final stages of a near-total retreat from its home city. Throughout February, expect the few remaining "zombie" locations that survived the 2025 cuts to go dark finally.
- Action Item: If you still have a prescription at a lingering Rite Aid in the city, move it immediately. Walgreens and CVS are the expected inheritors of these files, but proactively doing so prevents headaches when the doors lock for good.
3. Family Dollar
- The Status: Ongoing Neighborhood Closures
- The Scoop: The ripple effects of Dollar Tree Inc.'s decision to close 1,000 Family Dollar stores continue to hit Philly neighborhoods. Specific locations in West Philadelphia and North Philadelphia are winding down operations this month due to lease expirations.
- Why: Inflation has hit the discount sector hard, and the company is shedding stores that aren't hitting profit targets to save the wider brand.
February 2026 will be remembered as the month the "tech-grocery" bubble burst in Philadelphia. The sudden closure of all Amazon Fresh stores on FebFebruary 1 was a majois r disruption for suburban shoppers. However, the emotional heavyweight is the loss of Macy's Center City, a move that fundamentally changes the character of Market Street.
