Duane Reade

Store #14 159.
This Duane Reade sits directly next to Starbucks where often frustrated by the long lines I resorted here for a simple bottle of vitamin water. I believe the retail world consists of weeds unable to culled out bad communicators, inhospitable staff to create an unfriendly environment for patrons to freely shop. Shopping at #14 159 was indeed a thorn in my side grinding chore!
For my measly one bottle of vitamin water at $ 2.19, I scrambled for loose change to foot the bill without breaking a whole $ 1.00 bill but managed $.50. The ill-​mannered hostile and brash cashier woman lash at me: «You don’t have enough change! Do you understand you pay tax? Tax is what we must pay!!» Woman, I’m well aware of Uncle Sam to pay my civil dues who wants the bloody $ 2.19 as her trophy and plots to kill me with her malicious attitude to get it. Low and behold at the bottom of my sales receipt, contains a phone number for a telephone survey which I am happy to report this brush of dismal experience. N.B. As a smart consumer, always request a sales receipt in writing – even by hand written or computerized which do not bears conflict for the grinding chore of a near resolution to rectify the ill situation. I have a whole shoe box devoted for business cards, menus and receipts (both cash and credit/​debit) transactions.

Worst convenient store and pharmacy ever. The pharmacists are mean and unhelpful. The prices are high and they never have what you want.

Easily the worst Duane Reade. Uniformly rude staff. Items blocked from access behind the pharmacy gate during off-​hours that have no logical reason for being there (or that should NOT be back there for good reasons, like glucose tablets for diabetics.) The random «doorman» who asks for change and catcalls women as they come in and out. Avoid.

I came to this Duane Reade to buy something to make my shoes smell less awful. While I was here I decided that I would get some candy, since it was just Halloween and I hadn’t had any candy all weekend.
I decided that I wanted a Crunch Bar, but there were no Crunch Bars to be found. This was mystifying but I figured I would find solace in the arms of a Twix. Unfortunately, it turns out that Duane Reade’s Twixes are fucking terrible. All of the Twixes in the box below the counter seemed to have been melted and/​or stepped on. I rooted through the box and ended up purchasing one that seemed reasonable, but it was stale and also a bit smooshed.
I ate it anyway but then afterwards I went home and cried.
Fuck you, Duane Reade, you ruined my Halloween.

this is a solid duane reade. i come here for the essentials only: condoms at 3am, or morning after pills at 11am. they always are well stocked in both. but mike c. is way generous, i’d give about –10 for the homeless guy holding the door. get your stinking ass out of my face

What would cause a drug store to so consistently smell like sh*t? And I don’t mean, «Oh it smells bad in here.» I mean it literally smells like feces in this place.
Aside from that, it’s a normal, dirty, depressing Duane Reade. Nothing great. The equally-​disgusting CVS near Carmine is closer to me, making it the lesser of two evils.

The beggar at the front door is what makes this a true Duane Reade experience. The fact that he is there, annoying customers, undisturbed by a management too cowardly or indifferent to make him go away, is the only thing worth mentioning about this particular establishment.
The prices used to be cheap, but no longer.
They do have nice people in the prescriptions section, however.

Not the best Duane Reade out there… Not really everything is organized, but they always have Arizona Teas. There’s always a guy begging for change, which at times puts me off from coming in, but I end up going in anyways. There are about 4 registers, but only 2 of them have people. So there is usually a wait. Since the CVS opened on 8^th St. Corner 5^th ave, i’ve been going there more.

The Duane Reade has a single entrance, usually manned by a beggar. It’s a crowded set of aisles with minimal restocking when something is out. Small selection of everything.
Staffed by usually two up front, they’re not particularly quick or friendly, but they get the job done.

The window display
All shampoo, toothpaste, and soap
Makes sure I get clean.