PAULDING, Ohio (WOWO) – Two Paulding County pharmacy buildings will be vacated in September.

The Antwerp Pharmacy, located on South Main Street, will close on September 6 after 25 years of business. According to a message on the pharmacy’s Facebook page, the closure comes after difficult competition from large corporations, which make it difficult for independently-owned pharmacies. 

The Antwerp Pharmacy currently operates from a building in downtown Antwerp, which, according to the Paulding County’s economic development director, is a brand new facility. 

Paulding’s Rite-Aid pharmacy, the second pharmacy shutting down, follows not far behind other Rite-Aid pharmacies in northwest Ohio who have also faced recent shutdowns. The Paulding location’s last day of operation will be September 22. 

Okuley Pharmacy, located in Defiance, will be opening a drive-through service in the evenings on Monday through Friday to assist following the pharmacy closures.