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JOPLIN, MO. (AP) -- Walgreens Co. says it plans to close four stores in southwest Missouri that it is buying from USA Drug.

The company will close May's Drug Warehouse stores in Joplin and Webb City, along with Vista Pharmacy in Carthage and Jon's Pharmacy in Neosho.

Walgreen's spokesman James W. Graham said Monday the stores will close by November. The number of people losing their jobs was not immediately available.

Graham says the stores will be closed because of the size of the market and their proximity to other Walgreens and USA Drug stores in the region.

Walgreens will acquire 144 stores currently operated as USA Drug, Super D Drug, May's Drug, Med-X and Drug Warehouse in Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Tennessee.

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Information from: The Joplin Globe, http://www.joplinglobe.com

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