Duane Reade Drugs

Overall, the management team is very unprofessional, however, I always go into this particular location because one of the sales associates, by the name of Charmaine, is so pleasant, informative, and patient. If you ever go there, wait for her to help you. She’s amazing!

Wow this place is awesome! Owned by Walgreens so you can use your walgreen’s membership card here, too!
And they have coconut water; some are open 24 hours, have nice workers, and they had everything that I needed!

Standing in line at Duane Reade: an unintentional hobby of mine. It’s always punctuated by the same soul-​crushing sense of apathy from the employees behind the counter. Par for the course, this location had 4 people behind the counter, 4 people in line and only 1 employee actually ringing people up.
In walks a young couple with foreign accents, holding a Blockbuster Express DVD case. They look at the cashier. The cashier stares back. The couple holds up the DVD. The cashier shrugs her shoulders. The couple says, «Do you have this?» The cashier snickers, «No.» The couple leaves. I imagine them wandering the dark streets of lower Manhattan, clutching their DVD and wondering where to go next.
The cashier could have, SHOULD have smiled and said, «There’s one at the Duane Reade up at Wall & Water.» But no. Her life is too perfect the way it is: ringing people out as slowly as possible, sighing with each swipe across the scanner…
Does no one in the entirety of the Duane Reade corporation care about customer service???

I am not sure how I ended up here. But I was quite disappointed –enough said! Well, maybe not. So here goes–
It is a warm Saturday afternoon. So I decided to make an entry into any store that was within sight. D&R was there. I walked in, and here is what I remember.
Me: Do you stock snacks, like Wheat Thins and Party Mixes?
Jemima the clerk: I am helping someone. Just a minute.
Me (after traversing a few aisles): I am back.
Jemima: Aisle 6.
Me (sotto voce): That’s it? Couldn’t you have said that the last time?
Me (after checking aisle 6, and picking up a pack of gum): Can’t find it.
Jemima: Carlo, can you help him?
Carlo: Be a minute (he appears focused on a bunch of receipts)
Me: I was looking for Wheat Thins.
Carlo: Aisle 6. Look in the lower shelf.
Me: I did. Can you come along?
Carlo (walking to Aisle 6): Jemima, I did the 2Cs (DR speak?)
Carlo (after scanning Aisle 6): We ran out. Oh, look – here is one.
Me: But it has been opened! Let me take the Saltine crackers instead.
As I walk to the register, crackers and gum in hand, I see that only one is open. With a long line of weary shoppers. I conveniently leave my stuff on the ledge by the gummy bears. And give DR the slip.
The DR chain represents the worst that the city can offer. Sitting on prime real estate, you will find them where you need them. But you most likely won’t find what you need in them. What a waste!