Independent Pharmacies Face Closures in South Carolina
Rising costs and low reimbursements are pushing independent pharmacies across South Carolina toward closure.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Local Shops
Live Poll
Should South Carolina pass pharmacy benefit manager reform to protect independent pharmacies?
About 40 independent pharmacies close in South Carolina each year, leaving only 280 still open. Kelley Johnson closed the Prescription Shoppe in Georgetown in December 2025 after years of losses.
Why it matters
The closures reduce access to locally owned pharmacies that have served their communities for decades. Rising operating costs and low reimbursement rates are the core pressures driving the losses described in the reporting.
Roughly 40 independent pharmacies close in South Carolina each year, and 280 remain open. The Georgetown owner lost between $5,000 and $10,000 a month against a $20,000 monthly loan payment before closing.
The players
Kelley Johnson
Former owner of the Prescription Shoppe in Georgetown, South Carolina, who closed the pharmacy after depleting her retirement savings.
Stuart Johnson
Owner, with his wife, of a family pharmacy in Aiken County that closed in June 2025 and who now operates one remaining location.
The details
Kelley Johnson closed the Prescription Shoppe in Georgetown in December 2025 after losing money for an extended period, using nearly all of her 30-year retirement savings to keep it running and paying employees from personal funds. The pharmacy had been part of its community since the 1980s. Separately, Stuart Johnson and his wife closed their family pharmacy in Aiken County in June 2025 and now operate one location after four straight years in the red due to low reimbursements.
Timeline
June 2025: Family pharmacy in Aiken County closed.
December 2025: Prescription Shoppe in Georgetown closed.
Local Shops
The closures extend a documented squeeze on independent pharmacies in South Carolina, where low reimbursements have forced owners to close or consolidate. Fewer independents leave residents relying more on chain locations.
Residents who rely on an independent pharmacy may need to travel farther as local stores close. Patients should confirm where prescriptions can be filled if their usual pharmacy shuts down.
The takeaway
Supporting locally owned pharmacies and shops helps keep essential services close to home. Residents who depend on a neighborhood pharmacy can ask about transfer options before a closure happens.
Further reading
For more on neighborhood businesses like these, see Local Shops.
Live Poll
Should South Carolina pass pharmacy benefit manager reform to protect independent pharmacies?
