Duane Reade

I’m surprised I never reviewed this location before. I was in here a few weeks ago because I needed a birthday card for the next day. The line moved slowly when I finally went to ring up purchase but at least they had one that I wanted.

I am unfortunate enough to pass this Duane Reade on most days, and was fortunate enough to never have to step foot inside until I recently reserved an elusive Redbox DVD here. The store is actually in better shape than it probably needs to be, so props for that.

I seldom shop at Duane Reade, but we were walking by this store today and Duane Reade is now the only chain in NYC that sells an item I needed. The store was clean, the selection seemed good (although admittedly I was only interested in finding that one item), there were several cashiers at the check-​out counter (that in itself was great) and the cashier who handled my purchase was pleasant.

Its like half this place is a supermarket upstairs. Lots of frozen foods, snacks, cold drinks, and booze. Bright and well organized. Lower level with pharmacy and much more stuff like greeting cards, stationary, and cleaning supplies. Good AC going on in here too. As with the Duane Reade chain this location has been renovated and is a bit better to shop at than many other grungy spots in the mid-​town area. Prices are pretty much in line with most of their stores and not much ever on sale. Open 24 hours is a bonus I guess. I can imagine the weirdos and derelicts that stumble into this place late at night.

This Duane Reade went through the facelift that has been done across the chain in recent time about a year ago. It’s always been a ginormous example of the chain, stretching from one side of the block all the way to the other. The new look works and the wide availability of space is a blessing, especially given the insane combination of a tourist crowd, commuters and everyone else who happens to wander in.
The staff at this branch is very nice. I once needed one of those famous Duane Reade shopping bags for something and the lady behind the counter let me have it with the purchase of a bag of chips, whoo! They also have ATM’s on site from Chase, so Chase customers have one more place they can go to for their cash.
Price wise, you’re not getting any bargains here. It’s the middle of Manhattan in a chain that isn’t bargain basement to begin with, so if you’re going in here, expect to pay medium to expensive prices (depending on the items you’re buying).
Part of the reason I give this place four stars instead of three is the way the building goes from one side of the block to the other. If you cut through properly you can get past tons of slow walking tourists easily (and in the summer you get a blast of A/​C before going back outside!).

This DR is my go to spot whenever I’m going to the movie theater on 34^th st.
With the remodel it always looks super clean. It’s easy to find things when you can see where everything is. I like that have actual healthy food in this DR! I’ve had to grab a quick bite and it was nice to be ale to get yogurt or veggies instead of a bag of chips.
The employees have always been nice and swift when making my fresca & gummy bears purchase… I refuse to pay for overpriced snacks at the theater.

This drugstore gets my business by virtue of it being the closest similar store to my office.
It’s quite large (there’s a downstairs level), but somehow their selection always seems a bit mediocre, and the prices, while not ridiculous, don’t let you forget that you’re in midtown, and right next to Penn Station at that.
Still, they gain a point for being open 24 hours, and I appreciated that the cashier let me purchase items at the sale price even though I don’t have a Duane Reade club card.

I really like this one!
The cashiers are on point and keep the lines moving! The Blockbuster Kiosk is in an out-​of-​the-​way spot so that you don’t have to keep getting bumped by people shopping around, entering, or exiting the store. And the photo people are truly nice! The one girl actually remembered my face/​pictures and had them pulled and rung up without me saying a word or showing my ticket.
I’m all about this one, folks!

I had a HORRIBLE experience with sales clerk «Tay» on March 30, 2011. My husband went to the store the next morning and was able to speak with Marlisa (Store Manager) who assured him that Tay’s behavior was out of line and unacceptable.
Thanks Marlisa!

This is a really good store as far as Duane Reade’s go. Being open ²⁴⁄₇ is a BIG plus! I have watched as they expanded to have first sandwich counter, then a donut stand, then they expanded that added coffee, and most recently I noticed a new small stand for fruits such as apples, pears and oranges. The grocery section is really good, and I love the new brand of nuts they started carrying last year. Maybe they are not new, now that I think of it, just new packaging. But what is new is the variety. It’s nice to have healthy choices for snacks.
The pharmacy downstairs is very good. The staff is courteous and friendly. My only complaint is that I can’t find certain things here that I would normally find in other locations. They seem to be concentrating more on food and grocery items. Aside from that, this Duane Reade is very good.

I feel like a complete dillweed for writing a review on a Duane Reade, but I gotta say, when the cashiers ask me how I’m doing, they really seem to give a shit.
A few weeks ago this young hunnie behind the counter asked me if I had a store card. I was like «No, does it take long? I hate the florescent lights in here.» and she was like «Bro, take this card, activate it online whenever you get a sec, and we’ll give you a hundred points just for doin’ it. I see you in here all the time, trust me, you gotta do this.»
Now when I go in there I see stuff like $ 2.26 for a bottle of Gatorade, or two for $ 3 if you’ve got a store card, and I laugh at what a total sucker I used to be.

Sometimes you’ve gotta stock up supplies when you leave the country, knowing that the shit you take for granted every day is not going to be available for you. Someone having puked all over the floor in the middle of the store is definitely something I was not going to see at drugstores in the other countries I ended up at.

This Duane Reade is very bright! I’m not sure what it is! Lots of good snack options, which is smart because so many buses leave from the area. Most of your non-​cosmetics and non-​snack items can be found downstairs. They have a decent greeting card section downstairs, too.

I’m just going to say 5 stars only compared to other Duane Reades in the city. It’s open, airy, has hard-​to-​find items and even carries breakfast!
Open 24 hours too. I’m not saying Duane Reade is the greatest shopping experience ever, just saying this particular location is head and shoulders above the other DR’s.

Not an amazing convenience/​drug store, but I do like that it’s open 24 hrs. — pretty cool!

I stop by pretty regularly here, being this store conveniently located sort of half way between work and home. Nothing to rave about (notable exception: Bumble and Bumble hair products!), but if I think what this Duane Reade looked like before a recent renovation… now it actually looks nice and even sells sandwiches and fresh food that look somewhat edible.
There are a lot of counters, so usually the line moves pretty quickly. Which is what I want: I get in, I get what I need, I get out as quickly as possible.

This is the Duane Reade that is just down the block from the 34^th Street Loews. Essentially, this is where I stock up on refreshments before hitting the movies. Why pay $ 5 for a soda that you can get here for $ 1.69? Why pay $ 6 for nachos that you can get a bag here for 99 cents?
The renovations really make the store more tolerable. Before, the front counter was a mess, where it would be one line for five registers. Well, not that there were ever more than two open at a time but let’s not go there. Now, they have a rope so there is just the one line now. And still, there are never more than two registers open at a time.
If you’re like me, you goto the register in the back, where there usually isn’t a line.

I stopped in Duane Reade earlier today to pick up some essentials (false eyelashes, Icebreakers gum and nail scissors) and felt like the store was trying to subliminally ETCH their slogan into my mind — I must have heard the recording «Welcome to Duane Reade — uniquely New York since 1960!» a hundred times.
Speaking of repetition — the clueless cashier.
Oh. My. God.
There was a line of at least ten people and only two cashes were open. The lady started ringing in my three items and then paused to critically check her cell phone for text messages. She put the items in a bag, even though I had just said «no bag». Then she asked me if I had a club card. I said no.
She started putting the items in a bag again. I reminded her «NO BAG». She asked me if I had a club card before giving me my total, I repeated that I didn’t.
SHE TRIED TO BAG THE ITEMS AGAIN. And as I handed her some cash, I’ll let you guess what her next question was.
To which I replied, «No, my answer is the same as it was the first two times you asked me 25 seconds ago.»
How hard is it to stay plugged in for the duration of a two minute transaction?! Sheesh.

A nice looking store, but how can a store in Manhattan possibly not keep stimulants in stock?
It’s rather expensive and I had the overwhelming sense that I was paying for it to look nice since they obviously sacrificed efficiency for style. Unless you plan on living in DR, it’s not a worthwhile sacrifice. It’s the same products you can get at Rite Aid, Walgreens, CVS, K Mart, Wal Mart, etc. for about 25% less… sans ambiance.

Hangnail alert
After finishing off an awesome breakfast and prior to setting off for our 10 block avenue walk, a quick jerk to my nerve endings on my fourth finger made me wince.
Apparently, a hangnail decided to form during the period of my starting on the scrambled eggs and coming to further detachment by the time I finished my toast.
«I need a nail clipper, bad.»
Lo and Behold, the answer to my Walgreen’s request as the NY equivalent, a Duane Reade.
Located directly across from Madison Square Garden is the answer to my skin dilemma and for the awesome price of $ 1.99, my little clipper came with a case that caught the clippings.
Quick and easy, we were out within a span of 10 minutes.
Next, the Shake Shack.