Duane Reade

This location/​Cons:
Horrible customer service.
Merchandise is always out of stock.
Employees that can’t speak clearly.
This location/​Pros:
Pharmacy staff is courteous and helpful.
Real life example from this location:
Went in to use the CHASE ATM machine. Needed a pen to sign my check and the ATM didn’t have one. I asked an employee at the check out counter if there was a pen I can use. Employee response in a monotone fashion (staring at the floor looking like he’s about to fall asleep): «No pens. No pens.» Bull***t. LAZY and unmotivated. Forget $ 15 minimum wage… how about $ 5 an hour instead for lazy employees like this. And they are a dime a dozen here in Manhattan unfortunately.

Nice staff, and they’re always helpful when I’m looking for something. Pharmacy staff has been helpful as well. Not the best selection of items and not the best sales like other pharmacies in the area, but covers the basics.

Interestingly… ‘After hours’ there are only two employees on site. Neither of which are either a manager or supervisor… But they have a pharmacy which is ‘locked’ (with a padlock… And no security!).
However, if you ask for a manager, the cute little «„African American“» «„queen“» will tell you that ‘Itavia’ (the store manager) is «„at home“» «„sleeping“».
So, if you’re a drug addict of the honest sort, that doesn’t needs drugs by force I.e. Guns… Duane reade on 9^th would be a pretty safe bet… But check the Red Bulls first… You just never know !

Walked out of Pizza Plus and straight to the antacid section at Duane Reade. They had everything from Prilosec to off-​brand to generic to Prilosec. I had no idea the expansion of DR. I figured since I was there I would pick up a couple of groceries and a flu shot. I used to go to Walgreens.

Stopped going there because I was sick of them telling me that there are flu shots available in the pharmacy or that I could win money for completing the survey at the bottom of the receipt one.
My prescriptions are at 24 hr CVS. 7 Brothers at the corner across the street has excellent snacks and small groceries. Amish Market is good for groceries. Esco Drugs a couple blocks down 9^th can fill your basic pharmaceutical needs.

worse service! ask for the manager to resolve my problem and he recommended that i walk over to the one on 50^th and 8^th. lol!!!

I wish there were only 0 stars…
Prices are unreasonably high compared even to CVS.
There’s always a long line, and only one cashier.
The pharmacy is always overloaded with prescriptions from other local pharmacies forced to close.
I only use the Chase ATM inside

I stopped into this Duane Reade to get out of the sun during a super hot day and to get a drink. This branch is still set up in the «old style» with lots of cramped aisles, stuff that’s packed together tightly on shelves and the store is laid out in a somewhat awkward fashion. When you first go in it looks like the whole story is only half the size of a normal Duane Reade, but when you get to the middle you realize there’s a whole other half of the store partially blocked by a wall. Considering the age of the building sin the area, I’m sure this is just a quirk of old architecture but it’s still odd.
The staff was very helpful and while cramped they did manage to keep the store very clean and neat. I was also checked out nice and quick.
If the store was less cramped or weird in layout I would’ve given it one more star, perhaps once it goes through the renovation all the other Duane Reades have I can give it a follow up review.

As other reviewers have noted, this is a pretty standard DR, it’s on the older side and could use a face lift. The layout is weird, and the service is super slow.

Ok, time to bitch. Really really bitch.
I go in here everyday for something on my way to the gym. I started bringing my prescriptions here recently because my guy on 10^th ave closed up shop after 30 years in the biz.
Good things about this Duane Reade, the manager Jason… totally cool and every irate customer Ive seen, he has handled with finesse. You can buy food, makeup, cleaning supplies, you name it.
But the pharmacist. The FUCKING PHARMACIST.
The fucking prick of a pharmacist.
He should be FIRED for his attitude.
I have watched this young indian guy treat customers with such a lack of caring and respect its horrifying. Ive had to bite my tongue several times telling myself its not my business the way he treats people I dont know. Then I had to unfortunate pleasure of his wrath myself.
Im waiting plesantly in line and he snaps annoyingly «Ill be there in a moment». I look around to see who hes talking to and people giggle nervously at his tone.
I had him prescriptions for my daughter and he snaps, Its 7;30, I cant possibly fill this before 9. THen he sees what the drugs are and gives us the third degree about why we need these meds and who the doctor is and blah blah blah blah blah. Who the hell is he to question us? Just fill the fking thing and serve the public you asshole. I didnt say it of course, I just thought it.
I go back 3 days later to pick said medicines up. He starts questioning me about why my kid whos young needs these meds in a judgemental kind of way. I ignore him.
The doc decides to change dose and we go back two weeks later for more.
Now here I am handing a legal prescription to another employee and he runs over and snatches it out of her hand and says, «Um, NO, you were here TWO WEEKS ago for this, this is a controlled substance» as he blurts our private business out to the entire line of waiting people. He says our insurance denies the meds… well, if my kid doesnt have the meds for the next day, she will become violently ill. He says theres nothing to be done.
She gets sick, we go to the hospital… I go back to pick up meds the next day and he says the doctor «convinced him» to give us three days worth of meds until insurance comes through… but when our doctor calls the insurance company because it seemed very strange they would deny her a medicine that her life depended on, they said, «Completely untrue, we never received any phone call from any pharmacist and we would NEVER deny her this medication.»
Im in such a rage I cant bring myself to go into the pharmacy because Im actually afraid I will be arrested for what I will do to this cocky, brand new pharmacist who is starting this job right out of school.
I tell the manager and he is horrified and resports it but nothing is done. My lawyer tells me to not deal with the individual again and I decide to let it go even though he LIED TO MY FAMILY AND AUTHORITIES.
Two weeks go by, I go back yesterday because the doc ordered her back on previous medication and I hand the prescription to one employee who says shes going to fill it and when he sees its me, hes so angry I tattled on him that he rushes over AGAIN, takes the prescription from the employee again, and corners her, whispering furiously. I walk over calmly and ask him what the problem is and he says he cant fill it.
Here we go again.
I ask for it back… he refuses.
I call the doctor who calls him. My doctor texts me, «someone needs to fire this pharmacist.» Yeah no kidding.
I go in today, complain again but this time, we are making a true formal complaint. He was mad because he did something wrong and got caught… so he had to GALL to do the same thing twice. This young guy should not be working here and his boss told me there have been several complaints about him. We will see what happens. The only upside is his partner in the pharmacy, Helen, is very kind, sensitive and understanding about it all but it doesnt change his horrible attitude and prideful arrogance. I wont be back in the store after this.

«Duane…Duane??! What kind of a name is DUAAAANE?!»
I went in here the other day to use the ATM and there was no line. I felt like running through the aisles grabbing everything I could that I use. What a miracle?!
Well by the time I finished my transaction, as per usual, there was one cashier ringing up a now formed line of 5 or more customers. Doesn’t anyone call for back-​up anymore.
Oh and overheard at the pharmacy after a customer apparently dropped off their prescription 15m ago to be filled. «Oh we don’t have a prescription for you»…Awesomeness. Well it turns out someone was in the process of filling it… hmmm can’t see why half a brain would have thought to check the currently being filled prescriptions. Sad.
Besides the fact that their ATM fee went up. Boo. Convenient location is the only slight perk, but after the wait you should have walked elsewhere.

Pretty basic 24 hour Duane Reade. The floor plan is a little weird and ATM machine is in a weird place that blocks traffic. The people there are usually friendly and helpful.

I don’t live anywhere near this Duane Reade but it is the closest Chase ATM to Totto Ramen, so I usually run here for cash. The ATM Is in a weird position — you have to go into the store a bit and stand next to the greeting card section. The aisle is super tiny and people are always coming in to use the ATM.

The people working here on my most recent visit were actually friendly and having a good time. In fact, it was a shock — I usually associate Duane Reade with miserable people. Anyway, the line was fast, the Chase ATM was handy, and I had 0 complaints.

Get what you need at odd hours. Whats there to complain about?

This is a OK store… What bother me the most is the empty shelfs year-​round… In general is always something that i need. But looking closer you will see many spots taken by other stuff just to cover the empty spaces…
This is not only for otc drugs but on the cold beverages and grocery items too.
Most of the times there is only one cashier around and you always have to wait in line…

This is a crappy, crowded DR location. Blah.

I really despise Duane Reade in general, but… oh, God, how I hate this Duane Reade with every last ounce of my being.
The pharmacist here has to be one of the worst people on the planet. They never processed my refills when I called in. She once lost my prescription and insisted that I had taken it home and repeatedly insisted that I «return home and look for it» even though they had accepted it. They threw away my insurance card the first time, and made some poor underling search through the trash for hours until they finally found it. The last time I was there, she spent the entire time fighting (I mean SCREAMING) with a co-​worker until the manager broke it up. They should install a camera for the pick-​up line à la Shake Shack – this one easily averages 45 minutes just to get to the front to deal with these morons. I don’t know how many hours of my life I have wasted with these idiots but I want them back!
I actually transferred my prescriptions to the CVS at 58^th Street for my last two weeks in the neighborhood, it was THAT BAD.

I’m from out of town and they wouldn’t let me use their silly discount card. When I forget my card at Jewel the cashier says «Don’t worry about it, I’ll just put in a number»… but here, no, you must sign up for a card.
VERY ANNOYING!

This is not my favorite Duane Reade location (it’s pretty cramped and the aisles are narrow) but it is adequate-​the cold anf flu aisle was overrun with fellow New Yorkers looking for relief for feeling like crap. I opt for Duane Reade brand of Nyquil because I want to go into a coma.
I grab nylon magazine as a impulse purchase and am on my way home for some cherry flavored OTC drug sleep.