Kings Pharmacy Showdown

Corporate creep on my fucking block:

 "Last fall, Duane Reade opened one of its mega-mart drugstores on Kent Avenue, in the ground floor of the new Northside Piers. This spring, in the coming weeks, another Duane Reade store is slated to open on Bedford Avenue between North 3rd and 4th Streets, only five blocks from the first store and directly across from King’s Pharmacy, a locally-owned business that has been at this address for most of the last decade. This aggressive and menacing behavior suggests that a virulent infection may be taking hold—in fact, we hear rumors that Starbucks is also now eyeing Bedford Avenue, already home to a Subway outlet. Will McDonald’s and Burger King be next?"

KING'S PHARMACY IS A BLOCK AND A HALF FROM MY FRONT DOOR, AND ALSO ON THE WAY TO THE TRAIN, SO IT'S MY #1 GO-TO PHARMACY/KNICK-KNACK/WHATEVS STORE.

Sorry, caps, I ain't going back to re-type.

Meanwhile, a few months ago Duane Reade opened up about two blocks from my house in the opposite direction, which pretty much guarantees I'll probably never even think about going there. It's obviously set up to service the kabillions of condos that have sprung up surrounding it.

But I will say - the two times I've been in have completely sucked. One time the girl working there was exceedingly rude to me for no reason. Also, they don't have fucking generic drugs at a "generic drug prices"! And on top of it it's cramped. Totally fucking sucks, and I will prolly never go in again. Not because I'm an "anti-corporate pharmacy!" guy, but because my experiences there so far have sucked and it's priced to service the Yankees should they move in next door for some reason.

Now, to me, I wouldn't call Kings Pharmacy a "mom & pop" joint either. Let's not pretend it's an old Williamsburg relic (I'm pretty sure it's been there 7-8 years, if that), with "Pops" passing out penny candy to neighborhood kids. But they have generic drugs correctly priced. They're always very friendly. AND, strangely, whenever I walk in, the music that's always pumping through the PA is some 80's music station. And not always just goofy obvious "Come On Eileen" etc songs, but songs I ain't heard in 20 years, or Smiths album cuts, that kinda genre/vibe. Not even really my thing, but unique in the field of stores like that. Very strange, but in a good, breezy way.

My one beef is they only have Diet Coke in 1.5 liters, not 2. Whack.

Go Kings!