London Drugs to Close Woodward’s Downtown Eastside Store on Feb. 1 After Years of Safety Incidents and Losses

Overview

• London Drugs confirmed its Woodward’s location at 150-351 Abbott Street will cease operations on February 1, 2026, calling the move a very difficult decision.
• Executives cited persistent safety incidents, including physical and verbal abuse of employees, despite onsite security measures.
• Targeted patrols, a neighbourhood liaison officer, and joint walk-throughs with the Vancouver Police Department reduced some violence, yet customer traffic did not recover enough to sustain the store.
• The retailer says the location never turned a profit, reporting cumulative losses of well over $10 million since opening as an anchor tenant in 2009.
• Affected employees will be offered transfers to nearby stores, and patients will receive assistance to move prescriptions to other London Drugs pharmacies or a pharmacy of their choice.