Bargain Hunting and Boozy Browse Through a Monster Duane Reade

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Welcome to Drunk Shopping, our feature celebrating the time-honored tradition of getting totally wasted while the sun's still shining before buying a bunch of debatably useful stuff that the sober you would be too timid or too restrained to take home. Read on for a special edition shopping itinerary that starts with a boozy Saturday or Sunday brunch before meandering through a few neighboring retailers and happy hours notable for seasonal specials, limited time availability, fantastic deals, recent openings, or new shipments.

At this point you must’ve heard about Duane Reade's new Wall Street location. The brass-encrusted elevators and escalators, the monumental, vaulted ceilings, the stock ticker, the sushi chefs and juice bars and salon services and employees who—thus far—seem to actually be aware of the fact that they are being paid to provide customer service while being semi-nice to or at least aware of customers.

But have you checked it out yet? This weekend seems like a good opportunity. It might be a little less packed with all those traders out in the Hamptons or wherever people like that go over weekends in July. And you can pick up some things! Let's be honest: Have you ever walked by a drug store and been like, "Yeah, I actually don't really need anything right now at all.” That does not happen—you always need something: Contact solution or paper towels or Twizzlers or Apricot Scrub or AA batteries or cough syrup or yogurt-covered pretzels. And, hey, at this Duane Reade you can also grab a quick blow-out or some high-end, imported cosmetics.

Don't worry, we're sure they have giant shopping bags with handles.

So, yeah! A Way-Downtown Drunk Shopping! Grab a little something strong. After you shop about and grab your Duane Reade seaweed salads and fruit smoothies and a smorgasbord of various vaguely gourmet, totally overpriced and seemingly not totally unhealthy, but still totally unhealthy, snacky things hit the river, spike your punch, and tuck into your drug store brunch and those sweeping views.

From there you might as well hit the daymare that is Century 21—you never know when you'll run into some Jil Sander or Lanvin or Moschino. Or, like, Nautica and, like, True Religion if that's what gets you going.

Then trek north along the Hudson River. Pop into some of those gross bargain-marts along Chambers Street if the beat hits you—you might need a two-dollar shower curtain liner or some new tumblers or something. Our favorites are two almost neighbors that sell basically the same shit—one is called Lot Less, the other, Less Less. Hilarious! Otherwise, enjoy the river and the numerous green spaces where you can grab a quick seat and "freshen" that drink. Or, just hit the Patriot Saloon for eight-dollar PBR pitchers, Johnny Cash, dirt cheap burgers and a chandelier draped in discarded bras.

· Inside the Seriously Mindblowing Wall Street Duane Reade [Racked NY]
· All Drunk Shopping posts [Racked NY]