Duane Reade

Duane Reade -- the Big Apple of drugstores -- has been swallowed by a big fish: Walgreen. Named after the two streets where its first store was located, Duane Reade is the region's market leader with more than 150 stores (more than twice that of its nearest competitor) in densely-populated Manhattan. New York City's other boroughs and the surrounding New York and New Jersey suburbs account for another 100 or so. The stores sell prescription drugs, but more than 50% of the chain's sales come from items such as over-the-counter medications, food and beverages, and health and beauty aids. The stores vary greatly in size (500 to 12,700 sq. ft.). Oak Hill Capital Partners sold Duane Reade to Walgreen in 2010.