Duane Reade

One of the worst DRs in the city
This mornings nightmare – Bought vitamins for $ 52. Left store saw it expired over a year ago. went back. saw many were similar. How can a pharmacy not check inventory in over a year?
Oh! and no air conditioning.
And was made to feel its my fault
They tried blaming everybody but themselves. No apologies given
Buyer Beware here, and don’t expect a smile

I work in the area and during the morning rush, this place is fine. It’s during the midday rush when the shift changes that this place devolves into a customer service nightmare. The evening shift is headed by 20 something year old incompetent kidults who look like they came straight out of the seediest parts of NYC. It’s probably disconcerting to ring up individuals who’ve accomplished more than you will in your lifetime, but your indifferent attitude only furthers the notion that you can’t comprehend work beyond, «do you want a bag?»

This Duane Reade, located a hop skip from Whitehall Terminal and 1 New York Plaza has all the usual Duane Reade stuff, conveniently sold all on 1 floor. This is nice for those with kids, limited mobility or just lazy. Judge not a Duane Reade on the content of their pharmacy, but instead, their beer selection. This one’s isn’t half bad.
I’m not too proud to say what I came in for, a set of fake eye lashes. Their choices were abundant with several brands, length and styles. I was really impressed. The other cosmetics nearly displayed with lots of products and colors. Is this superficial? Sure. What I like most about this Duane Reade is that it is clean, well lit and elevator free.

The only time I come to this location is when I need something in a hurry since they are located close to my office.
The staff here is rude and constantly having personal conversations while ringing up customers. The food section sometimes loses a/​c during the warm summer months. The food selection is iffy. Their beauty selection isn’t worth checking out. Honestly, it’s good if you need a soda, a prescription, or a Hershey bar.

Always a line to check-​out, but it moves fairly quickly. Prices are reasonable, given the neighborhood. Downside: the layout is so illogical…

Worst. Pharmacy. Ever.
I have given this place many chances and I always leave frustrated. Example: once I asked if they had a certain med in stock. I knew not every pharmacy had it so I wanted to check. The pharmacist said yes. When I went to have the script filled the next day a different pharmacist said they didn’t. Then I got a call that said they did. Then I went there and they didn’t.
Ridiculous.

I came here for the first time yesterday to drop off a prescription. I returned today, May 16^th at around 1pm to pick up. When I got there I was extremely appalled to find the poor customer service I received. The assistant to the pharmacist was openly flirting with a guy when I arrived. She looked at me as though I was just merely hovering there as opposed to needing service. «How can I help you?» She asked in a low voice as if the very articulation of such greeting was an arduous exercise. To rub insult to injury, the pharmacist herself was just as rude as her assistant. A petite blond woman who doesn’t seem to speak much English. She seemed removed from the experience of giving me my medicine, which I had to wait a good 45 minutes for even though I dropped it off the previous evening. This made no sense. Not even an apology. She then held my insurance cards the entire time, forgetting to give them back to me. She also barely made eye contact, which is a huge problem in my book.
I will not be returning to this branch of Duane Reade to get my prescription filled. I don’t even know why I came here. I always go to the one in Chelsea on W17th. I should have gone to them. They would have also understood that since I’m on my wife’s health insurance, to call me Mrs. NOT Miss.

8:50 Saturday morning. It was a cold morning and my gym wasn’t open until 9:00, so I needed a place to kill some time. Duane Reade was the only place open. I knew I needed something; a guy always needs something at the DR, so I went inside.
A dame with legs that went all the way up greeted me, like only a gal in a Duane Reade can… wearing a blue smock.
She: You look like you need something, mister. Maybe I can help.
Me: Where are your greeting cards, dollface? And while you’re at it, why don’t you tell me if you have any of those small umbrellas.
She: I like that, a man who knows what he wants, unlike most of the wimps we get in this joint. Cards are straight down this aisle; umbrellas around the corner. If you need anything else, just whistle. You know how to whistle, don’t you, mister? You just put your lips together and… blow.
Me: Funny, that’s how I call my cat*. I’ll let you know if I need anything.
I got the greeting cards; got the umbrella to replace the one I lost at the American Craft Beer Festival. That was a Totes mini and I had it for a long time; I miss that damn umbrella. An umbrella like that stays with you; it won’t dump you on Valentine’s Day and leave you heartbroken.
I go to the checkout
She: Did you find what you needed?
Me: Maybe what I needed, but not what I wanted.
She: What is it that you want, maybe I can help. Maybe we could have a few laughs. You look like a nice guy.
Me: I ain’t no nice guy, sister. Do yourself a favor and avoid me like discounted sushi. In either case, it’s going to end badly. I gotta go.
I turn up my collar to head back into the cold.
She: Don’t you want your change and receipt, mister?
Me: Keep it, toots. That’s my good deed for the day.
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* I don’t have a cat, that was for dramatic effect, but the rest is completely true

i like the convenience of this store’s location where I’d do last minute shopping for gifts, food, coffee, candies, among other items on my to and fro the ferry to the Staten Island. It’s very convenient especially if you forgot to bring something and you live in Staten Island but doing work or gigs in Manhattan. Of course, prices are expected to be higher than usual. But you’d get quicker cash register waiting time even if many people are lining up — I think this is influenced by the kind of buyers who show up here as they’re corporate types plus the usual tourists you meet who’d just hop into the ferry to Staten Island and head-​back to Manhattan at the next available trip LOL.

This is one of the fasts cashers I have encounter, the line was long and with only two staff members they made it move.