Every Where You Look, Duane Reade

Yesterday, Crain's reported that city pharmacy behemoth Duane Reade will take over leases of eight Gristede's locations in Manhattan. Each of the locations will converted into pharmacies, which would bring the total of Manhattan Duane Reade locations to 143.

The locations of the soon-to-be-gone Gristede's weren't revealed, but Crain's did describe the grocer thusly:

Gristedes operates 38 grocery stores in Manhattan, including seven locations with full pharmacy service. The New York grocer has been hurt in recent years by an influx of upscale competitors such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.

From our experience, Gristede's has also been hurt by not being that great. There had been a Gristede's on Broadway between 73rd and 74th, a block south of Fairway, which definitely had a great selection of common items (hello, Cool Ranch Doritos), but the staff was terrible. And the pharmacy charged easily 50-70% more on many items.

How do current Gristede's shoppers feel about the store? And two years ago, New York Magazine had a great article about the Duane Reade business model - it doesn't make that much money per square foot.

Photograph of Gristede's shopping bag by Triborough on Flickr

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on February 21, 2007 9:54 AM

Comments [rss]

ohplease

I used to go to Gristedes on 7th at 15th street until I saw roaches cavorting in the bagel bin. And the cashiers were the bitchiest bitches who ever bitched.

Dean

Oh, the stink of Gristedes! I've never been inside one that didn't reek of rotting meat. The one on 86th near 1st Ave. will knock you down.

Anya

I'm with Traci. I was never especially a fan of Gristedes, but the bags (and don't forget the posters) were nauseating and a final dealbreaker for me. It would be fine with me if they all turned into Duane Reade locations.

JoeM

Gristede's stinks! (really, I think they all do, at least the 73rd st used to and the 96th st still does)

I was keeping my fingers crossed for a bank, but I guess the nine (yes, I've counted) drug stores in a 3 block radius weren't enough.

whatever

I think there may be a Duane Reade in my pants.

ohhleary

I love how the article says:

The New York grocer has been hurt in recent years by an influx of upscale competitors such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.
It's not that they're "upscale" (especially not Trader Joe's), it's that they just don't SUCK.

But on the other hand, can I go to a decent grocery store in this town without having to stand in a Soviet-era bread line?

smitty

C-Town isn't that bad, especially the one on 9th St. in Brooklyn.

Ben K.

So is it a victory to replace one crappy overpriced grocery store with a crappy understaffed drug store?

Trader Whole

Hopefully this ends the sanctioned monopoly of Gristede's in Battery Park City!

Ms. D

Does the world really need another Duane Reade!? They're worse than the plague.

Elderta

gristedes is ghetto. good riddance.
[4] Posted by: nick

Really? Gristedes is ghetto? I always though Key Food and C-Town are ghetto. I've never seen a Gristedes in the ghetto. Gristedes may be bad, but ghetto? Try going to Western Beef...

fumi

thanks for the link to the Duane Reade business model. Very informative.

No comment about Gristede's.

don

one time i saw moldy bread being sold at gristedes.

Jordan

Matthew- Seriously, the music? I, too, am at the 65th/1st store often enough, and while I might walk out with Kokomo stuck in my head, I'm not happy about it...

nicemarmot

There are two Gristedes near my apartment, and both seem to be stocked solely with rotten food (ever smelled a whole meat section full of rotten fish?) and run by people who would be happier to spit on you than serve you. We went there for a late-night snack run once, thinking they couldn't possibly destroy such items as Haagen-Dazs or potato chips. Wrong! Both were spoiled. We haven't been back since.

ke

So Gristedes is going? Good riddance. I go out of my way to avoid shopping there, with their overpriced products, surly staff and dirty, poorly maintained stores. It's a shame they're being taken over by Duane Reade though. I'd love to see a GOOD supermarket chain come in instead.

Traci

I quit shopping there the minute they started putting the phrase 'Never forget what they did!!!' next to the Twin Towers. Yuck! Their plastic bags make my skin crawl, just looking at them. I don't want to carry that. Express your political sentiments, lose your customers. Simple equation.

Neil Epstein

that's just what we need, another duane reade. it's such a joke like Starbucks on every corner.

IA

Gristedes is dirty and unpleasant to shop at. I prefer Amish Market - pricier, but infinitely better products and shopping there doesn't make me depressed.

rdc

If the Gristedes by my g/f's place weren't 24 hours I don't think we'd ever go there.

sheila

my neighborhood has two D'Agostino's and two Gristides. D'Ag is cleaner overall, better produce and higher prices.

Gristides has wider variety staple goods (when they keep them in stock), expired perishibles on the shelves (be sure to check dates before purchase) and marginal customer service.

I shop at both depending on need.