Duane Reade

My go-​to Duane Reade… only because it is so close. To be honest… I have been in much better ones– but convenience does make everything better… so I keep coming back.
I do have to say that it is always clean, and they are always fully stocked on the essentials. However, I feel like their selection for the non-​essentials… is usually lacking. Candy… they really only have the usual, and cards and other things… its the same. Nothing bad. but nothing great.
I also have to say what while 1 or 2 of the staff are friendly… the rest are definitely not. They are usually rude or just non-​responseive.
So, my review… this location is not bad… but its not great either.

Cheerios 2 for $ 5, and if you only bring one to the cashier and don’t notice that you are not being charged $ 2.50,… gotcha sucka!

Dear asshats who shoplift band aids from Duane Reade,
Thanks for making me feel like a total idiot after I paid, threw my receipt away, walked outside hoping to slap a band aid on the horrible blister on my foot, only to find the band aid container completely empty.
Very funny. I hope this shoplifting deed lands you in the first circle of hell, where you slide down razor blades and land in a pool of alcohol… WITH NO BAND AIDS IN SIGHT.
/​end rant

I was just in here, and wow, their selection is amazing! Especially for this over-​run neighborhood. They had all of the rando-​stuff on my shopping list. Which is more than can be said for the CVS down the street. It’s having a good selection of bathroom cleaner, contact solution, body moisturizer, laundry detergent, and tissues all in one location that I look for in my drugstores. Oh, and energy drinks. This store put the convenient in convenience store.

While this Duane Reade has two entrances, one is always closed.
That said, this Duane Reade is fine. The refurbishment in 2010 was a big improvement. The store is cleaner, the selection is broader, and the waiting times are shorter. There is a brand new CVS that recently opened nearby, as well as a K-​mart and Walgreen’s that are nearby. I expect this Duane Reade will do fine.
Two tips: (1) avoid the DR Delish coffees (they are truly terrible) and (2) expect the pharmacist to be surly.

Dog-​friendly! Open on Thanksgiving for the ice cream we needed, store was clean, staff at cashier was friendly. Invited me and my dog in, said dogs are welcome. So useful to have a place where I can walk my dog to it, walk in and buy what I need! They keep some healthy snacks in a cooler by the front. I like this store!

I really sweat this DR. It’s always clean and has a big selection of everything, including snacks and drinks. I find their make-​up section also well stocked and organized. Plus, it has two entrances! Love it.

One of the best Duane Reade locations in Manhattan. The store was recently completely revamped in DR’s new sleek modern design. You walk in and wonder if you’ve just stepped into a Sephora or other classy establishment. The aisles are particularly wide offering business class-​like comfort and the store is equipped with five checkout registers, twice the average. Most importantly the checkout staff is competent and shows no signs of a special needs background so prevalent among drug store personnel.

So I’m reviewing a Duane Reade. Seems tedious to me but I walked in here this week expecting the same old Duane Reade that’s been there for years. Me and my friend were pleasantly surprised when we walked in. The place had been renovated, and they did a wonderful job. Not only is it brighter, more organized, and spacious, but they now offer more of what I usually go to DR for — food. Their drink selection has expanded and they offer quite an array of beer in bottles, cans, and even cases. They even have some ready-​to-​eat meals like salads, sandwiches, and parfaits. I think this is a growing trend in NYC’s drugstores since the CVS across the street from my building had similar renovations and I like what I see.

I didn’t truly understand what it meant to loathe until I began filling prescriptions at Duane Reade. On West 4^th Street, the pharmacists’ assistant was surly and hostile, and the pharmacist himself wouldn’t bother to show up, so my prescriptions were held hostage. I switched to a different location – Broadway and 8^th Street – and things got worse. At one point it took me over 10 days to fill a script because they ran out of my meds and couldn’t get reinforcements. In the meantime, the pharmacist handed out a few days’ worth (with no script and no bottle) here and there. I have no idea how he accounted for the loss in inventory.
On both occasions, and in all of my haughty glory, I sent letters to the President of Duane Reade, John Lederer. Lord in heaven above, he responded immediately! I LOVE writing letters to presidents of companies, and in all my days I have never seen such a swift response. His office was so nice and beyond helpful and fixed everything right quick.
The moral of the story: Duane Reade’s president is delightful, but can’t manage the troops worth a hoot.

One of my least favorite Duane Reades in the city. It’s relatively small & dark. There is always a long line, disproportionately (I’m just assuming here — I didn’t poll the folks) represented by:
1) NYU students
2) Tourists looking for a cheap drink on their way up Broadway
3) People buying snacks to sneak into the theater on 14^th Street
Or maybe all of the above?
Thirsty, foreign NYU students purchasing munchies for movie time.
In any case, avoid.

— decent as a duane reade
— terrible as a pharmacy, there is almost always someone, if not me personally, who has to go back 2 – 3 times because they still don’t have the perscription in

When I’m feeling lost
Someplace shines in the darkness
Another Duane Reade