By Kathianne Boniello
It appears that one of the last independently owned drug stores in Little Neck has closed up shop after two major national chains came into the community.
Le Drug Store, a community fixture at 254-23 Horace Harding Expwy. in Little Neck, posted signs on its storefront last week informing customers that all prescriptions were being transferred to the new Duane Reade on the eastbound side of the Long Island Expressway.
Phone calls to Le Drug Store Monday were referred to the corporate headquarters of Duane Reade and the owners of the Horace Harding Expressway pharmacy could not be reached for comment this week.
Last month the owners of Le Drug Store had declined to be interviewed for a story about the store.
Duane Reade was the second nationally owned chain store to move into Little Neck this year. Genovese opened on Northern Boulevard in March and Duane Reade opened its doors in May.
Le Drug Store had advertised itself as an “independently owned” drug store and asked customers to support it.
“Our Rx prices are lower than the chain stores,” one recent advertisement read. “You have choices — help keep the independent drug store alive.”
While Duane Reade and Le Drug Store were less than a mile apart, construction along the Long Island Expressway has clogged the area and made it difficult to get from one side of the highway to another.
The $112 million construction project is meant to reshape the interchange between the Long Island Expressway and the Cross Island Parkway, and as a result several LIE overpasses in Little Neck and Douglaston are being reconstructed. LIE overpasses affected by the work include the Douglaston, Little Neck and Marathon Parkway bridges.
Le Drug Store sits on the LIE service road between Marathon and Little Neck parkways.
Duane Reade, a Manhattan-based company, did not return calls for comment as of presstime Tuesday.
Duane Reade has about 20 locations in Queens and some in western Nassau County, including one in the Bay Terrace Shopping Center. Genovese boasts about 29 other stores in Queens, including one on Bell Boulevard in Bayside.
Reach reporter Kathianne Boniello by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 146.
