Duane Reade Inc. is a chain of pharmacy and convenience stores owned by Walgreens. Its stores are primarily in New York (metropolitan New York City and Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, and Fairfield counties) in addition to in New Jersey. They are known for high-volume and small store layouts in densely populated Manhattan locations. In 2012, the company headquarters moved to 40 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan which is the location of its newest flagship store.[1]
History
Founded in 1960, the chain was started with three stores by Abraham, Eli, and Jack Cohen with a warehouse located between Duane Street and Reade Street on Broadway in Lower Manhattan.[2] Duane Reade takes its name from the company's first successful full-service drugstore, which opened in 1960 on Broadway between Duane and Reade Streets in Tribeca, just north of the Financial District. The streets themselves were named after early American politicians, James Duane (1733–1797) and Joseph Reade (1694–1771).[3]