Duane Reade

I’ve never had any issues with DR’s pharmacies. I’ve found staff knowledgeable and helpful. I recently moved to Rego Park and transferred my scripts to this location. I immediately had problems. 3 times I was told a script would be available on X day only to find out that the script wasn’t in stock. It would take 2 business days (first two times) and 7 business days (3^rd script — which happens to be the most popular dose of a very popular medication). I’d have no issue if I had been told they weren’t in stock when I called to confirm Duane Reade received the escript, that insurance would pay on X day, and that they’d be available for me then. The pharm tech said they put a note in the system indicating my pick up date which I didn’t request but found very kind. I later found out there was no such note in their system for any of the 3 medications. In fact, despite having the escripts in their system, with a supposed note indicating my pick up date, TWO weeks prior to pick up, Duane Reade never initiated the order for the medication from another store (when I went in, expecting to pick up, they said all 3 times some version of— «oh no! we didn’t order that yet»). 2 of the 3 medications have severe withdrawal symptoms. Had I known, I would of had my provider cancel the scripts and resend to a DR location with the medication in stock.
With the last medication which was out of stock, and I needed immediately, I was told that I needed to call other Duane Reade locations to locate the script. I did so only to find out that the person who directed me to locate a Duane Reade with the medicine could have looked up availability at other location in their central computer. By the way, I checked 5 locations nearby and all had the very popular medicine.
The other gripe — -2 other medications were on order (they are derm meds and not super common, so I expected to wait). Thy pharm assistant told me they’d arrive for pick up when I was on vacation, and in an area without cell contact. I told them my return date, with pick up time, because I didn’t want them spending time calling me when I had no ability to answer. The assistant appreciated I told her because she said they do keep calling so it would assist them. When I returned on the date I indicated I was admonished by the pharm technician «I called you so many times and you never picked up and now I have to go and find the medication because we restocked it.» I apologized. I felt bad she went to such an effort but I also told her that her coworker told me she put a note in the system to keep this from happening. She shook her had, huffed and walked away. I felt terrible but also completely irritated because I attempted to do the responsible thing prior to leaving.
I’m really not sure what’s going on at this store. It’s unlike any other Duane Reade pharmacy. Again, I usually get stellar service at all other DR pharmacies. ***The store itself is newly renovated, well stocked, and offers a great product range. I would give 4 – 5 stars for the non pharm part of the store.

The staff is on another planet, I swear. The managers have their heads up their butts. This morning, I stopped in to grab something before work, during rush hour, and they had ONE person ringing up. When that very slow-​as-​a-​snail worker was taking a customer, the customer started hassling the cashier about a coupon. Instead of calling for help, she leaves the counter. Then a manager comes up and does that part instead, but doesn’t take the guy in front of me in the meantime. She kept talking to the customer about how they just got new machines or something, wasting even more time… The manager then walked away, so I flagged her down to ring up and clear the line and she said no. When I was a manager, you bet your ass that a customer would never have even had to even ask. Such a terrible attitude. I’m giving all my business to Rite Aid or the CVS up on 66^th.

Terrible staff.
Clerks mostly unfriendly and short management/​supervisor guy follows anyone he thinks is stealing around very blatantly.
It’s annoying and a turn-​off.

The Pharmacy staff is friendly, but have a bad habit of not listening or sometimes play attention to what their doing. In addition to that the Walgreens med system is a terrible burden on both the customer and pharmacy staff who constantly have to adjust something that the computer has done. Misinformation and lack of communication are rampant.
The store is otherwise clean and the rest of the staff are friendly and very helpful.

It’s a Duane Reade — what more is there to say?
Well, for some reason the store always smells like plastic. Could be from the abundance of flip flops and the like when you come in. Of course they have everything — the milk is all the way at the end of the first aisle — convenient? I think not.
This DR used to be 24/​7, but alas, the times are a changin’. Midnight is when it closes.
Handicapped accessible, there’s a Chase ATM in here as there are at all DRs… which means you can’t get cash back at the register.