DUANE READE
EX-10.15
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<TYPE>EX-10.15
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<FILENAME>a03-1441_1ex10d15.htm
<DESCRIPTION>EX-10.15
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Exhibit 10.15</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">THIRD
AMENDMENT TO THE</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">1997
EQUITY PARTICIPATION PLAN OF</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">DUANE
READE INC.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Duane Reade Inc. (the &#147;Company&#148;), a
corporation organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, by resolution of
its Board of Directors (the &#147;Board&#148;), adopted the 1997 Equity Participation
Plan of Duane Reade Inc. (the &#147;Plan&#148;), effective as of June 18, 1997. Section
10.2 of the Plan allows the Board to amend the Plan in certain respects at any
time or from time to time.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In order to amend the Plan in certain respects,
this Third Amendment to the Plan has been adopted by a resolution of the Board
on February 11, 2003, effective as set forth herein.&#160; This amendment to the Plan, together with the Plan and the First
and Second Amendments, constitutes the entire Plan as amended to date.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">1.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">AMENDMENT TO
SECTION 2.1(a).&#160; Section 2.1(a) of the
Plan is amended, effective as of the date of approval of a majority of the
Company&#146;s stockholders, to read in its entirety as follows:</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#160;&#147;(a)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; The shares of
stock subject to Options, awards of Restricted Stock, Performance Awards,
Dividend Equivalents, awards of Deferred Stock, Stock Payments or Stock
Appreciation Rights shall be the Company&#146;s Common Stock, par value $.01 per
share.&#160; The aggregate number of such
shares which may be issued upon exercise of such options, rights or awards
under the Plan shall not exceed 3,971,181. The shares of Common Stock issuable
upon exercise of such Options, rights or awards may be either previously
authorized but unissued shares or treasury shares.&#148;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Dated:&#160;
February 11, 2003</font></p>

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<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="35%" style="border-collapse:collapse;margin-left:3.0in;width:35.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="100%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:100.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">DUANE READE INC.</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="11%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.52%;">
  <p style="font-size:12.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;">&nbsp;</p>
  </td>
  <td width="88%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:88.48%;">
  <p style="font-size:12.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;">&nbsp;</p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="11%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.52%;">
  <p style="font-size:12.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;">&nbsp;</p>
  </td>
  <td width="88%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:88.48%;">
  <p style="font-size:12.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;">&nbsp;</p>
  </td>
 </tr>
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  <td width="11%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.52%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">By</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="88%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:88.48%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;/s/&nbsp;&nbsp;Michelle
  D. Bergman</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="11%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:11.52%;">
  <p style="font-size:1.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;">&nbsp;</p>
  </td>
  <td width="88%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in .7pt 0in .7pt;width:88.48%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Michelle D. Bergman<br>
  Vice President, General Counsel<br>
  and Secretary</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 3.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 3.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>


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