The empty Rite Aid stores of Lower Merion | Inquirer Lower Merion

Plus, nine BYOBs to try on the Main Line.

A single box of apple-cinnamon Nutrigrain bars sits alone on a shelf in the snack section of the Wynnewood Rite Aid on March 18.Read moreErin McCarthy/Staff

Published March 27, 2025, 5:45 a.m. ET

Good morning, Lower Merion! 👋

This week, we’re taking a look inside the Rite Aids of Lower Merion and the rest of the Philly region post-bankruptcy, zoom into the two Lower Merion communities named as some of the best places to live in U.S., and round up Main Line BYOBs you might want to consider next for date night.

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What’s going on with the Rite Aids in Lower Merion?

Take a trip to the Rite Aid in Wynnewood, and you might be surprised by what you find — or don’t.

A single box of apple-cinnamon Nutri-Grain bars. A mostly barren wall where over-the-counter pain relievers should be. But, at the same time, a well-stocked seasonal section filled with Easter goodies. What gives?

Rite Aid began diminishing its regional footprint by about 40% in 2022, and the retailer’s location in Ardmore is now closed. Despite the company emerging from bankruptcy six months ago, some of the remaining open locations across the Philly area are still experiencing inventory issues, with customers reporting low stock in Narberth and beyond.

Supply chain, retail, pharmacy, and bankruptcy experts pointed reporters Erin McCarthy and Ariana Perez-Castells to an array of potential factors, including cash-flow issues, difficulty reestablishing vendor terms, or plans to close even more stores in the future. A Rite Aid spokesperson declined to answer The Inquirer’s questions, but said the company is focused “on improving the flow of products to our stores.”

💡 Community News

Three local communities have earned spots on Niche’s ranking of the best places to live in America — two of which are right in Lower Merion.
A Main Line doctor who terrorized the family of her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend, including setting fire to the Lower Merion home of her romantic rival’s 99-year-old grandmother, was sentenced Wednesday to 11½ to 23 months in jail.
St. Joe’s has offered buyouts to some faculty and staff as part of a plan to help close “a small deficit” resulting from the school’s acquisition and integration with the University of the Sciences and the Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences in Lancaster.
Heads up: There will be a lane closure on City Avenue northbound between Lapsley Lane and 59th Street from Monday through Friday next week due to construction related to the St. Joe’s pedestrian bridge, according to PennDot.
The Riverbend Environmental Education Center in Gladwyne is looking “to permanently preserve” an adjacent 4.17-acre property that’s up for sale, an effort that now has the support from township commissioners that the center was seeking to apply for a state grant. (Main Line Times & Suburban)
A group of demonstrators protested outside University of Pennsylvania President J. Larry Jameson’s home in Lower Merion late last week, demanding the university disclose investments within its endowment, divest from companies benefiting Israel’s military and government, and defend against ICE raids. A university spokesperson called the effort “an unlawful intrusion and a deliberate act of intimidation.” (The Daily Pennsylvanian)
Montgomery County Commissioners are taking their public meeting on the road, with their first stop at the Lower Merion Township Building on April 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. If you’re interested in joining via Zoom, you can register here.
Was that Jason Kelce at the La Salle-Villanova women’s water polo match last weekend? Why, yes it was. Here’s why he was there.
Richard N. Juliani, of Wynnewood, a retired sociology professor at Villanova and pioneering expert on Philadelphia’s Little Italy, died last month of acute myeloid leukemia at the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine. He was 86.

🏫 Schools Briefing

Khalid Mumin, a former superintendent of the Lower Merion School District before he was tapped by Gov. Josh Shapiro to lead the Pennsylvania Department of Education in 2023, is returning to Reading to serve as the district’s superintendent.
About 75 Radnor High School students staged a walkout to protest the school’s removal of the graphic novels Gender Queer, Fun Home, and Blankets after a parent alleged they contained “child pornography.”

🍽️ On our Plate

Food and dining reporter Mike Klein has a roundup of 50 Philly-area restaurant openings to watch this spring, including Maison Lotus (which is newly opened) and Triple Crown both in Wayne, The Kibitz Room in King of Prussia, and Wonder, the billion-dollar food hall, in Ardmore.
Have you heard? Big Cookie has invaded Philly. Here’s a comprehensive guide to cookies in the region, including Bake Bake Philly, which occasionally holds pop-ups at Wallace Dry Goods in Ardmore, and Crumbl in Wynnewood and Wayne.
Planning a date night? Here are nine BYOBs on the Main Line to try, from Bryn Mawr to Narberth.

🎳 Things to Do

🎥 Newsies: Catch a screening of this 1992 Disney musical starring Christian Bale, Bill Pullman, Robert Duvall, and Ann-Margret. ⏰ Saturday, March 29, 11 a.m. 💵 $7.75 for adults, $6.75 for kids📍Bryn Mawr Film Institute

🎤 The E Street Shuffle: Dance in the dark and rock out to this Jersey-born tribute band to the Boss. ⏰ Saturday, March 29, 9 p.m. 💵 $15📍118 North

🎤 Mason Porter + Frog Holler: Fill your Sunday with a bit of bluegrass. ⏰ Sunday, March 30, 6:30 p.m. 💵 $20📍Ardmore Music Hall

🎤 Nubya Garcia: An event where modern jazz, classical, and R&B come together. ⏰ Wednesday, April 2, 8 p.m. 💵 $29📍Ardmore Music Hall

😋 Wonder Grand Opening: The billion-dollar food hall is celebrating the opening of its Ardmore location with a festive evening. ⏰ Thursday, April 3, 5 p.m.📍17 W. Lancaster Ave.

🏡 On the Market

Living in luxury

What’s got a wine room, sauna, pool, and multiple fireplaces? This $2,875,000 Villanova residence featuring five bedrooms and five full and two half bathrooms. The 7,701-square-foot home also boasts a four-car garage, skylights, a pool house, and more.

Have you seen an interesting listing in or around Lower Merion? Share it with us in an email to lowermerion@inquirer.com.

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