Duane Reade has inventory systems and POS systems that know when things are purchased and just-in-time inventory management. Or maybe they don't. They have gigs and gigs of shopping data to tell them what trends are happening, when, and where. They know they will sell out, yet they do nothing about it. How come the Ma and Pa places are never sold out, but huge chains like Duane Reade are?

Walgreens recently bought Duane Reade, so I don't know if the situation will get better or worse. But as this is the umpteenth time they are sold out during the morning rush hour, I'm pretty much taking my money elsewhere, and I spend thousands of dollars at Duane Reade.

If Starbucks were to "run out of coffee" every morning, they'd go under. Frankly this inventory problem is likely "but a blip" to Duane Reade, but it drives me away. I won't be spending my money on anything else I normally do, like prescriptions, magazines, food, etc. I'll just pay a bit more at the Ma and Pa bodega, which frankly is 50% more expensive ($3.00 vs. $1.50), but at least is always in stock.

The New York Landmark Preservation Commission has awarded the building landmark status, ensuring it will remain just as is for decades to come. I could not be happier!

Their ice cream store, Alphabet Scoop, is the best ice cream on the Lower East Side, too. A whole pint is only $5 bucks.

I'm not going to go into my religious beliefs, but I will say I work (and enjoy working for) Ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Jews in Midtown Manhattan, and one of my favorite one-liners of all time is when someone comes into work and asks why they don't think Jesus is the messiah. Their reply:

"We never discuss family at work."