Duane Reade

I use this pharmacy since it is close to work. They are very professional and courteous. However I find when calling that I am usually on hold a long time. In terms of shopping, although clean and organized, the store seems to be lacking in selection. Also I have yet to have a sales person ask if I needed help, something I get often at the local CVS, along with those great printed coupons, who doesn’t like free? Anyhow, there is a lot of competition in the area and the nearby CVS has much better prices, and a larger selection, so this is mainly where I go. Otherwise the store is just ok, not bad but not great either.

DO NOT BUY GIFT CARDS FROM THIS STORE! I went in on 5÷15÷15 and purchased an AMEX gift card for $ 200 to give to my niece for her communion. Only to get a call from her mother weeks later informing me that the card is invalid. I go back to Duane Reade and they have the transaction but have NO IDEA why the money wasn’t loaded on the card. They claim they can’t give me a copy of the gift card activation. I call Bullish on that! Something went terribly wrong here and I’m out $ 206.95 and have nothing to show for it. DISGUSTED! They’re investigating but no one offered me a refund or a new card. NOTHING! Now I have to follow up with AMEX and they too are investigating. In the meantime, I inconvenienced my niece, her mother and myself and I’m totally embarrassed. SOMEONE clearly stole $ 200 from me and doesn’t want to admit it or make good on it.

Recently renovated to the bright, new Duane Reade format with white, silver, purple and blue hues, this Duane Reade certainly draws the eye in a sea of office buildings. The two times I’ve gone I’ve found the interior well organized and clean. The shelves were being restocked both times I went so that was an encouraging sign. This is enough to earn the store two stars.
However, in terms of actual check out time, both times I’ve gone (between the noon and 2pm time frame) it’s been a minor nightmare checking out. I’m not sure if their computers are slow or if the cashiers are taking their time, but I can go and start as the second person on a line and before I know it ten people are behind me and we’re still waiting for the cashiers to get everyone out.
To their credit, the manager is quick to come to the front and help check people out and call for back up — but if you know lunch time is going to be nuts, maybe put three instead of two cashiers up front to prepare for the onslaught? I give another «half star» for at least getting back up, but this store definitely loses points for lack of forethought.
In an area literally surrounded by Walgreens/​CVS/​Duane Reade type stores, I only wind up at this one now and then since it’s near my gym, but I much prefer the CVS only a couple blocks away.

It’s convenient because I work 50 ft from here, but it’s not that well lit, sometimes the products aren’t fully stocked and there’s a manager who works here who has a horrible attitude for someone who works in retail. Other than that, I dont hangout here… just get my sh*t and get the hell out. It’s ok, but usually go to the CVS up the block when I have more time.

ok so you’ve just dropped out of your MBA program, you packed up your shit in a blurred red eyed fury after the last night you will ever drink with those fucking phonies in Ann arbor (by the way, it is confirmed that the tall blonde haired rugged good looks Midwestern boy you hated is totally fucking the Chinese girl from sf who you crushed on, oh and while we are at it I’ve never been to a worse «city» than Chicago asshole)
Right you packed up your shit in some kind of «been down so long» fury and ran full tilt all the way from the shitty apartment you were renting on division street to daves place (sweating bullets in january at 5am in fucking ann arbor!) on Catherine to get two of your, suits, the rest of your cufflinks and the only letter of hers you kept
Finally back in ny and the only place to crash is with that other Chinese girl who you were sleeping with back in 2007. It is far far from ideal but she has a ton of food (shock!) and a spare set of keys so why not
While you’re in midtown east (aka antarctica) the Duane read on 3^rd ave is a great place to pickup your klonopin, lithium and xanax