Duane Reade is not sleeping on this Rite Aid closing-soon situation

Photo by Stacie Joy 

The Duane Reade/Walgreens on the corner of Avenue B and Second Street is not being passive about the pending closure of the East Village Rite Aid. 

Signage is up welcoming Rite Aid pharmacy customers from the First Avenue and Fifth Street outpost, even though that business may be open untill later next month. (An official closing date hasn't been set.)

Rite Aid filed for bankruptcy (again) in May, citing years of financial struggles and a rapidly changing retail pharmacy market. All of the company's New York locations either have closed or will soon. 

In previous posts about Rite Aid, EVG readers suggested ideas for local, independent pharmacies to consider:

• Abacus Pharmacy, 168 Second Ave. 

• Avalon Chemist, 7 Second Ave. 

• Avenue C Pharmacy, 178 Avenue C 

• Block Drug Store, 101 Second Ave.

• East Village Prescription Center, 41 Avenue A 

• Equal Care Pharmacy, 753 E. Fifth St. (specializing in hepatitis and post-heart/kidney/liver transplant drug therapy) 

• Loisaida Drug & Surgicals, 273 E. Third St. 

• Medilane Drugs, 227 Avenue B 

• New York City Pharmacy, 206 First Ave. 

• Whitney Chemists, 50 University Place