On December 30th, we gave a list of ten major NYC institutions that ended their runs--Things We Lost in 2008. Well, only two weeks into 2009 and we can already give you four. This year began with the shuttering of the Palm Court at the Plaza and this week began with the closing of the Rainbow Room. (Both are supposedly temporary.) We also received the official announcement of the April closing of the Times Square Virgin Megastore (the highest volume music store in the U.S.), and heard rumors of a Duane Reade bankruptcy. The spokesman for our ubiquitous Duane Reade drugstores denies any financial difficulty; however, even if Duane Reade doesn't go anywhere, their famed shopping bags will.
Compare the famous Duane Reade logo (bottom) with the new bland brand (top):
Duane Reade started in 1960 with three stores named after their warehouse between Duane and Reade Streets. In 1997, there were 67 stores; in 2007, there were around 250.
For our brief history and joke about Duane Reade, see City Hall Park, Part Two on our walk up Broadway. (The Duane Reade bit starts at 2:11.)
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