Duane Reade to provide HP photo publishing solutions throughout its stores

NEW YORK Duane Reade has inked a new agreement with HP to expand a 2008 pilot program in select stores and install HP Photo Center solutions in more than 200 locations in the greater New York City area.

“Our brand is all about New York living made easy,” stated Joe Magnacca, chief merchandising offer for Duane Reade. “Making this level of quality digital photofinishing convenient through HP kiosks and full-service counters across 200 of our stores is one more way we can be relevant and helpful to our customers on a daily basis. We’re very happy when we can partner with the best to make life easier for New Yorkers.”

The HP Photo Center solutions will enable customers to order photos and create a variety of photo products, such as photo books, calendars, greeting cards and posters. The pilot stores achieved up to 50% year-over-year improvement versus the chain-wide average in the in-store photo category, the company stated.

Under the new agreement, Duane Reade will install a customized mix of HP Retail Publishing Solutions across its stores. In the middle- to high-volume stores, the HP Photo Center provides front- and back-of-counter operations to allow customers to order instant 4-in. x 6-in. and 5-in. x 7-in. prints, 8-in. x 10-in. enlargements and such products as photo books, calendars, greeting cards, posters and 100-year archive DVDs.

In non-photo lab stores, customers will be able to use the HP Photosmart Express instant-print kiosk — a standalone, self-serve solution designed to produce 4-in. x 6-in. prints and photo CDs.