Walgreens says it will close five stores on the South and West sides of Chicago next month, drawing criticism from local leaders. The stores are in the neighborhoods of Chicago Lawn, Little Village, South Chicago,

The Deerfield-based pharmacy giant plans to close as many as 1,200 in the coming years, with 5 Chicago stores on the latest list.

The drugstore chain is closing stores in Bronzeville, Little Village, South Shore, Chicago Lawn and South Chicago as it shutters 1,200 stores nationwide. The closures will be a "devastating blow" to the neighborhoods they served,

Walgreens will close five Chicago stores next month, part of the Deerfield-based pharmacy chain’s plan to shutter 1,200 locations by 2027.

As part of the company’s “go-forward business strategy,” Walgreens will close five Chicago stores in the coming weeks.