Duane Reade

Whoa, just finished reading the reviews and all I can think is «Why are people so hard on a drug store?»
It’s a regular Duane Reade that fills prescriptions and helps you with your life. What are people looking for a Duane Reade to be exactly? I get if it doesn’t have that ONE particular item that ONE particular time you MIGHT need it, but drug stores aren’t mind readers. I give this Duane Reade 5 stars because no one tries to stab me and it has everything you could need on a normal basis.
I give the people who have reviewed Duane Reade 1 star because they have extremely high standards or there are some secret magical drug stores these people are going to that have everything you can possibly need in the world in a blink of an eye.

Great store with wide verity of everything you need! The big advantage is that anytime I was there there were 3 cashiers working which narrows the waiting time! I’ve never been in a fully staff Duane Reade before and that’s why it’s 4 star one!
Great location for the day to day snack and necessity!

There’s a lot of hate for this Duane Reade location but it’s always had what I need for the most part.
Upstairs there’s makeup, toiletries, snacks and drinks. Downstairs is the pharmacy and all of the other stuff like Band-​Aids, contact solution, etc. It’s not the biggest location but it is convenient if you work in the area and especially if you’re staying at the hotel next door.
I wish they stocked wine in addition to beer and my husband wishes that they stocked Pringles chips. There’s always a line, but it moves fast and the staff is nice.

Eh, it’s a standard NYC Duane Reade. Decent selection of products, cold beverages, snacks, and Chase ATM. It was what you need but nothing fancy.

The pharmacy is absolutely atrocious. The one woman who works the counter there, she’s been there for years (don’t know how), moves so ridiculously slow and then stares (possibly glares) at you while she takes her utmost sweetest time to complete a simple transaction. The conspiracy theorist in me used to wonder if she was doing it on purpose to spite people, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. She is just That slow!

On a scale of 1 to 10 of all Duane Reades, this one would get a 3. The store is well stocked, but the logistics of the way the store is setup is confusing at first to find what youre looking for and the basement is kind of hidden unless you ask a person who works there. That is if you can find someone who works there and is willing to help you, which is why I’m not a fan. Very hit or miss with the people here… sometimes during the morning or lunch rush, they have 1 person working as cashier while 5 feet away the other 2 or 3 employees are chatting away on the side and the line is 10 people deep. Give me a break!

This Duane Reade is super convenient if you’re staying in the Courtyard Marriott next door.
The pharmacy is in the basement, and it’s pretty slow. Plus, they told me it would take a half hour to fill three of my prescriptions. I came back 45 minutes later and still had to wait.
They carry everything we came looking for: cheese, beer, cotton pads, hummus. But the prices are high, and the organization isn’t very readily apparent.
For a Chicago girl used to Walgreen’ses and CVSes, this comes off as a very upscale (but overpriced), and well-​stocked (but overwhelming) drug store.

This is a very run of the mill Duane Reade. Picture a Duane Reade in your head right now. Got that image? Yeah, that’s exactly what this Duane Reade looks like.
BUT, I have beef with this Duane Reade. This past Monday, the first night of Hanukkah, I was on a hajj for candles. I had been lazy and decided not to buy any until the day I would need them, but I figured in New York they would be pretty easy to find. I was pretty sure I had seen them at a Duane Reade before, so I was feeling good.
I went into the Seasonal area, and what did I find? Hanukkah cookies. Not candles, the most important part of the ancient Hebrew rite, but cookies, some gentile nonsense. They didn’t even look like good cookies.
I searched a few more convenience stores but this Duane Reade set the tone. There were no candles anywhere! The sun was already down, so I had to go home and fulfill the mitzvah by lighting a match, then lighting another match with that match, and letting them both burn out by the window.
Sorry Judah Maccabee. I know you didn’t fight just so Duane Reade could ruin Hanukkah.

Standard small Duane Reade. Usually has what I need which is basically a 1.5L of Diet Coke. I generally hate all Duane Reades because they’re so ubiquitous and overpriced, but this one is ok with me because it’s close to where I live and it’s open 24 hours. That’s why it’s 3 stars. Normally it would’ve been only 2 because whenever I’m there, there always seems to be a group of foreign tourists who are staying nearby and are for some reason buying hundreds of dollars of crap at like 11pm. I have never used the Pharmacy here, it’s in the basement, which is kinda creepy most of the time but I think it’s just the low ceilings. The women who I’ve had as cashiers here are generally very pleasant considering they have to deal with those crazy tourists.
I have included it on my «reasons why I’m fat» list because it is right next to the subway station and when I come home from having a little too much alcohol I go into Duane Reade and buy a big bag of potato chips and eat way too many of them.
I would have added another star to my rating if this Duane Reade had a bathroom. Usually if I’m drunk enough to need to buy a family size bag of chips and I’ve just spent too long waiting for the subway, I also have to pee.
I have just written too much personal information in this review. I don’t care. Now you know, if it’s 3am and you see me in line at this Duane Reade holding a big bag of Lay’s, a 20oz DC, and doing the flamingo dance, Sarah just got back from a fun night of too much beer and wine.