Chelsea Duane Reade Competing With Whole Foods, Hospitals

This new 24/7 Duane Reade that recently opened in Chelsea is off the chain. The two level store is, as their publicist so poetically puts it, "Duane Reade’s latest phase in its ongoing brand and customer experience transformation that brings to life the company’s brand mantra of 'New York Living Made Easy.'" And what ease awaits! You already knew about the Duane Reade sushi, but here you can also consume "locally-sourced" grocery items, fresh sandwiches, self-serve Starbucks coffee, single-serve entrees, baked goods, salads, produce, and, of course, many of the "DR Delish™ exclusive food and beverages brands" you've come to know and ~~tolerate~~ love. And if you need medical attention, they've gotcha covered, too!

The Chelsea Duane Reade features the company’s fifth "Doctor on Premises" walk-in medical care location, which operates in association with Beth Israel Hospital. And once you're done getting all fixed up by Dr. Reade, you'll want to proceed to the "Look Boutique," their "store within a store concept that features an exciting array of beauty, skincare and fragrance brands, including many prestige brands and other products exclusive to Duane Reade. The store will also include a Ramy Brow Bar where customers can get their eyebrows shaped while visiting the store." Honey, is this Duane Reade or Bliss?

Seriously, if Duane Reade's going to pull these slick moves at their forthcoming Bedford Avenue location, then Kings Pharmacy (which closes too damn early!) might as well just give up now and turn into a Barnes & Noble. That would take care of Spoonbill & Sugartown, which would be more useful as a Blockbuster, anyway!

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By John Del Signore in News on March 4, 2010 5:07 PM

Comments [rss]

gaycurmudgeon

Can I used my Duane Reade card to get a discount on a doctor's appointment?

ribaldry

DUANE READE SUCKS ASS. THEY OVER PRICE THE FUCK OUTTA THEIR FOOD JUST LIKE WHOLE FOODS. THESE PLACES RIP OFF OUR COMMUNITIES. FUCK THEM.

Tower18

Actually, Whole Foods is often cheaper than other stores, when comparing similar products. The thing is that most of what they sell is more expensive in general (organic, etc.). But if you find the same product at Associated, Gristedes, etc, it costs more than Whole Foods.

24gotham

Whole Foods competes well on price for lots of items I need. I have a list of things that I pay 10-20% less for than Associated/Grosstidies/Crap-a-stinos.

lookatthedumbpeople

When you say "brand mantra" you have already failed.

estragon

Scoof if you must, but the DR house brand chocolate chip cookies are my favorite store-bought packaged variety of chocolate chip cookie ever. If the brand goes under I'll be trying to score a crate of them.

longacre

I concur, their new "Delish" brand products are awesome and cheap.

estragon

Er, scoff. Or scoof if that works for you.

jrd550

Who do you work for man, Duane Reade? Leave Kings and Spoontown alone.

Mark

I never thought about why I didn't go to Kings Pharmacy, but I think you hit the nail on the head. That and the brick exterior makes me always forget that it's there.

Gregoire

I hate to be the contrarian, but the new Duane Reade stores are 50x better than their shithole regular versions. The employees even look happier.

BongoBoy

When this becomes a Walgreens as soon as the merger is completed ... then call me.

Gotham Extremist

that cat on the top of the page is fat and pissed

NannyState

They're trying waaayyy too hard: the live dj in the chill out lounge was handing out free prescription swag.

NannyState

I love Big Blue!

unterberg

Too damn bright, way too first-week-friendly, and way overstaffed.

zizzy

Yeah, they're always overstaffed at first. I remember years ago when a new DR opened on Court Street in Brooklyn. Lots of registers, never a wait, friendly service. Within a couple of months they were down to one or two registers staffed by surly cashiers.

emilydickinson

I'm sure the same troglodyte staff with make this Duane Reade as miserable to shop in as every other one.

Dick Nickel

Disheartening, isn't it, the citywide insouciance of DR clerks? (And it ain't like the folks at CVS, Walgreens, or Rite Aid are scrambling to win Employee of the Month honors either.)