Kings Pharmacy in Williamsburg Closed in July
We were dismayed to read in the Huffington Post that Kings Pharmacy at 241 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg closed last month due to rising rents. It had been there for more than a dozen years and was a special and well-run place, carrying prescription medications requiring special handling not widely available, as well as useful…
We were dismayed to read in the Huffington Post that Kings Pharmacy at 241 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg closed last month due to rising rents. It had been there for more than a dozen years and was a special and well-run place, carrying prescription medications requiring special handling not widely available, as well as useful low-priced basics mixed in with interesting indie brands in categories from greeting cards to toys to makeup. In short, it combined the best of an old-fashioned five-and-dime and a boutique.
Duane Reade moved in across the street in 2010. When we snapped these photos on Friday, a sign on the door seemed to imply it was Duane Reade that put them out of business. “Kings Pharmacy would like to thank Williamsburg for its years of loyalty. Help us continue our relationship and fight the corporate bully. We look forward to serving you in the years to come. Let’s keep Williamsburg independent!”
But another letter, which Curbed photographed and published yesterday, clarified it was rising rents, not Duane Reade per se, that led to the closing. “It had absolutely nothing to do with Duane Reade directly across the street,” said the notice. “Our lease is coming to a close…we unfortunately decided it would be in our best interest to close up shop.”
Gothamist, which was the first to note the pharmacy would be closing in a story in early July, said the landlord plans construction and Kings intends to reopen in Red Hook.
There are any number of Kings Pharmacies in Brooklyn and other boroughs, but they are not related. Will you miss this one? GMAP
While I can’t really comment on their customer service, Kings Pharmacy carries specialized medicines that Duane Reades, CVS and Walgreens do not. This is certainly going to a major PITA for those seeking out the specialized medicines. One of these days you just may be prescribed something that these generic chain pharmacies just don’t carry and you’ll smack yourself in the head because now you’ll need to schlep to Long Island or mid town Manhattan to find it.
I would feel bad for Kings but for the fact that their Flatbush Ave. location has *the* worst customer service ever. I had been their customer for more than 20 years and was still looked at blankly every time I went to that back counter. Can’t count the number of times I went back to pick up prescriptions only to be told it wasn’t ready because they had to order it – but they didn’t bother to call. I spoke to the manager a handful of times over the years in an effort to get them to improve their customer service. No change.
This Kings sucked too. No big loss