I miss a lot of things about NY since I left last fall but the ubiquitous Duane Reade is not one of them. Why are there more of them in NY than there are Starbucks? New York Magazine tries to get to the bottom of it.
The company understands two important things: New Yorkers are uniquely harried shoppers, and the whole ball game comes down to real estate. Duane Reade has used its skill at that quintessential New York blood sport to cut rents by shoehorning its stores into bizarre locations other chains wouldn’t touch. And it’s kept New Yorkers coming back by knowing us better than we’d like to think: For all our bluster about good design, organic foods, and attentive service, we’ll take our Band-Aids and trash bags where we can get them.
I always preferred CVS.
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Too funny... When I spent the day in Manhattan a month ago, I was struck by the same exact thing -- seemed there was a damned Duane Reade every 5 feet! In fact, my brother lives next door to one.
Last year I realized Duane Reade was named for "Duane" and "Reade" streets when I walked by the original store. If they were re-naming it now, "A-Half-Block-That-Way" would be more apt.