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The popular drug store originally was located in between Duane Street and Reade Street on Broadway. It took its name from from the bordering streets. The location still exists today.
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If you wander around New York City's downtown area, you'll come to a section on Broadway, not far from City Hall, edged by two streets: The streets are Duane Street, and Reade Street. Duane and Reade Street do not intersect, they are parallel. In answer to your question, the original Duane Reade pharmacy was located there. The store isn't named after a real person.
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The original Duane Reade was one of three drugstores in downtown Manhattan opened by the Cohen Brothers in 1959. They called their stores "Thrift" originally, but, with so many thrift shops around, that was confusing. Their main store was on Broadway between Duane and Reade, and the Cohens noticed many of their workers (mostly immigrants who had great trouble pronouncing "thrift") refer to the main store as "The Duane and Reade shop." The name stuck.
James Duane was mayor of New York City from (February 6, 1733February 1, 1797). I don't know who Reade was, but was likely a New York politician of some description.
First answer by anonymous. Last edit by Mr fnord. Contributor trust: 69 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 186 [recommend question]
