Gothamist: Every Where You Look, Duane Reade

ohplease

Thu, 22 Feb 2007 01:17:40 -0500

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

Thu, 22 Feb 2007 00:11:54 -0500

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

Thu, 22 Feb 2007 00:06:36 -0500

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

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 18:56:17 -0500

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

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 18:26:27 -0500

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

Chris

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 17:19:26 -0500

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

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 16:05:19 -0500

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

Benjamin Kabak

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 13:02:44 -0500

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

Trader Whole

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 12:56:20 -0500

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

Ms. D

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 12:54:09 -0500

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

Elderta

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 12:45:15 -0500

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

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 12:37:15 -0500

thanks for the link to the Duane Reade business model. Very informative. No comment about Gristede's.

don

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 12:26:56 -0500

one time i saw moldy bread being sold at gristedes.

Jordan

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 12:25:13 -0500

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

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 12:24:04 -0500

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

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 12:19:08 -0500

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

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 11:45:39 -0500

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

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 11:41:38 -0500

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

IA

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 11:40:11 -0500

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

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 11:36:54 -0500

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

sheila

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 11:36:19 -0500

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.

rdc

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 11:32:27 -0500

If the Gristedes by my g/f's place weren't 24 hours I don't think we'd ever go there. It's great for late-night milk/candy/beer/whatever runs.

Traci

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 11:30:22 -0500

I quit shopping at Gristedes as soon as they started writing "Never forget what they did" next to the Twin Towers on their plastic bags. Yuck!

nick

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 11:27:19 -0500

gristedes is ghetto. good riddance.

Matthew

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 11:13:30 -0500

all i know is the Gristede's at 65th and 1st always has the best music mix... i've actually asked their manager to burn me a copy.

AA

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 11:03:16 -0500

One good reason Gristides has been hurt by competitors like Whole Foods is that the food there costs the same or more than Whole Foods.

jt

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 10:46:49 -0500

Yeah, sometimes I have to walk more then four blocks for sundries and it's really freaking me out.