SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                      Washington, D.C. 20549

                           Schedule 13G


            Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                        (Amendment No. 8)*


                        DUANE READE, INC.
             _______________________________________
                         (Name of Issuer)


                           Common Stock
             _______________________________________
                  (Title of Class of Securities)


                            263578106
             _______________________________________
                          (CUSIP Number)


Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this statement
___.  (A fee is not required only if the filing person: (1) has a
previous statement on file reporting beneficial ownership of more
than five percent of the class of securities described in Item 1;
and (2) has filed no amendment subsequent thereto reporting
beneficial ownership of five percent or less of such class.)  (See
Rule 13d-7.)

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a
reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the
subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment
containing information which would alter the disclosures provided
in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall
not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the
liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all
other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

                 (Continued on following page(s))

                        Page 1 of 8 Pages
CUSIP NO. 263578106           13G             Page 2 of 8 Pages

1  Name of Reporting Person
   S.S. or I.R.S. Identification No. of Above Person

   T. ROWE PRICE ASSOCIATES, INC.
   52-0556948

2  Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group*
                                                       (a) ____
   NOT APPLICABLE                                     (b) ____

3  SEC Use Only

    ____________________________________

4  Citizenship or Place of Organization

   MARYLAND

Number of      5  Sole Voting Power
               **
Shares            143,658

Beneficially   6  Shared Voting Power
               **
Owned By Each     -0-

Reporting      7  Sole Dispositive Power
               **
Person            1,419,483

With           8  Shared Dispositive Power

                  -0-

9  Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

   1,419,483

10 Check Box if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain
   Shares*

   NOT APPLICABLE

11 Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row 9

   5.8%

12 Type of Reporting Person*

   IA
               *SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT!
         **Any shares reported in Items 5 and 6 are also
                       reported in Item 7.
CUSIP NO. 263578106             13G       Page 3 of 8 Pages

1  Name of Reporting Person
   S.S. or I.R.S. Identification No. of Above Person

   T. ROWE PRICE NEW HORIZONS FUND, INC..
   52-0791372

2  Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group*
                                                       (a) ____
   NOT APPLICABLE                                     (b) ____

3  SEC Use Only
   ______________________________

4  Citizenship or Place of Organization

   Maryland

Number of      5  Sole Voting Power
               **
Shares            1,072,200

Beneficially   6  Shared Voting Power
               **
Owned By Each     NONE

Reporting      7  Sole Dispositive Power
               **
Person            NONE

With           8  Shared Dispositive Power

                  NONE

9  Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

   1,072,200

10 Check Box if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain
   Shares*

   NOT APPLICABLE

11 Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row 9

   4.3%

12 Type of Reporting Person*

   IV
               *SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT!
**The aggregate amount reported on this page is also included in
the aggregate amount reported by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. on
page 2 of this Schedule 13G.
SCHEDULE 13G
PAGE 4 OF 8

Item 1(a) Name of Issuer:

          Reference is made to page 1 of this Schedule 13G

Item 1(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

          440 Ninth Avenue, New York, New York 10001


Item 2(a) Name of Person(s) Filing:

          (1)  T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. ("Price Associates")

          (2) T. Rowe Price New Horizons Fund, Inc.

  X       Attached as Exhibit A is a copy of an agreement between
          the Persons Filing (as specified hereinabove) that this
          Schedule 13G is being filed on behalf of each of them.

Item 2(b) Address of Principal Business Office:

          100 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202

Item 2(c) Citizenship or Place of Organization:

          (1) Maryland

          (2) Maryland

Item 2(d) Title of Class of Securities:

          Reference is made to page 1 of this Schedule 13G

Item 2(e) CUSIP Number: 263578106


Item 3    The person filing this Schedule 13G is an:

  X       Investment Adviser registered under Section 203 of the
          Investment Advisers Act of 1940

  X       Investment Company registered under Section 8 of the
          Investment Company Act of 1940


CUSIP 263578106
PAGE 5 OF 8

Item 4    Ownership                           Deemed
                                          Outstanding
                                              And
                                          Beneficially
                             Units       Owned Directly
                             Deemed        Subject to
                          Beneficially     Warrants &
                             Owned         Conversion
                            Directly       Privileges    Total
                          ____________   ______________ _______

(1) WITH RESPECT TO
    PRICE ASSOCIATES
    (includes shares
    reported in
    (2) below):

    (a)Amount
        Beneficially
        Owned . . . . . .  1,192,500        226,983    1,419,483

    (b)Percent of
        Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5.8%

    (c)Number of
        units as
        to which
        such
        person has: . . . ___________    ___________      ______

       (i)  *sole power
            to vote or
            to direct
            the vote . . .   112,100          31,558    143,658

      (ii)  *shared power
            to vote or
            to direct
            the vote . . .        -0-          -0-           -0-

     (iii)  *sole power
            to dispose or
            to direct the
            disposition
            of . . . . .    1,192,500          226,983   1,419,483

      (iv)  *shared power
            to dispose or
            to direct the
            disposition
            of . . . . .          -0-          -0-           -0-
(2)WITH RESPECT TO                             CUSIP 263578106
 T. Rowe Price New Horizons Fund, Inc.         Page 6 of 8 Pages



    (a)Amount
        Beneficially
        Owned . . . . . .    1,072,200   -0-    1,072,200

    (b)Percent of
        Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4.3%

    (c)Number of
        units as
        to which
        such person
        has . . . . . . . ___________    ___________      ______

       (i)  *sole power to
            vote or to
            direct the
            vote . . . .      1,072,200        -0-    1,072,200


      (ii)  *shared power
            to vote or
            to direct
            the vote . . .         -0-         -0-           -0-

     (iii)  *sole power
            to dispose or
            to direct the
            disposition
            of . . . . .           -0-         -0-           -0-
      (iv)  *shared power
            to dispose or
            to direct the
            disposition
            of . . . . .           -0-         -0-           -0-


*Units reported in subcategories (i) and (ii) are also included in
subcategory (iii) or (iv).
SCHEDULE 13G
PAGE 7 OF 8

Item 5  Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.

        This statement is being filed to report the fact that, as
        of the date of this report, T. Rowe Price New Horizons
        Fund, Inc. has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more
        than five percent of the class of securities.

        This Item 5 is not applicable with respect to Price
        Associates.

Item 6  Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another
        Person

        (1) Price Associates does not serve as custodian of the
            assets of any of its clients; accordingly, in each
            instance only the client or the client's custodian or
            trustee bank has the right to receive dividends paid
            with respect to, and proceeds from the sale of, such
            securities.

            The ultimate power to direct the receipt of dividends
            paid with respect to, and the proceeds from the sale
            of, such securities, is vested in the individual and
            institutional clients which Price Associates serves as
            investment adviser.  Any and all discretionary
            authority which has been delegated to Price Associates
            may be revoked in whole or in part at any time

            Except as may be indicated if this is a joint filing
            with one of the registered investment companies
            sponsored by Price Associates which it also serves as
            investment adviser ("T. Rowe Price Funds"), not more
            than 5% of the class of such securities is owned by
            any one client subject to the investment advice of
            Price Associates.

        (2) With respect to securities owned by any one of the  T.
            Rowe Price Funds, only State Street Bank and Trust
            Company, as custodian for each of such Funds, has the
            right to receive dividends paid with respect to, and
            proceeds from the sale of, such securities.  No other
            person is known to have such right, except that the
            shareholders of each such Fund participate
            proportionately in any dividends and distributions so
            paid.

Item 7  Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which
        Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent
        Holding Company.

        Not Applicable.

Item 8  Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.

        Not Applicable.

SCHEDULE 13G
PAGE 8 OF 8


Item 9   Notice of Dissolution of Group.

         Not Applicable.


Item 10  Certification.

         By signing below I (we) certify that, to the best of my
         (our) knowledge and belief, the securities referred to
         above were acquired in the ordinary course of business
         and were not acquired for the purpose of and do not have
         the effect of changing or influencing the control of the
         issuer of such securities and were not acquired in
         connection with or as a participant in any transaction
         having such purpose or effect.  T. Rowe Price Associates,
         Inc. hereby declares and affirms that the filing of
         Schedule 13G shall not be construed as an admission that
         Price Associates is the beneficial owner of the
         securities referred to, which beneficial ownership is
         expressly denied.

                            Signature.

         After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my (our)
         knowledge and belief, I (we) certify that the information
         set forth in this statement is true, complete and
         correct.


Dated: March 10, 2004              Dated: March 10, 2004


T. ROWE PRICE NEW HORIZONS         T. ROWE PRICE ASSOCIATES, INC.
    FUND, INC.


By: /s/ Joseph A. Carrier          By: /s/ Henry H. Hopkins
    Joseph A. Carrier                 Henry H. Hopkins,
    Treasurer                         Vice President

Note:    This Schedule 13G, including all exhibits, must be filed
         with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and a copy
         hereof must be sent to the issuer by registered or
         certified mail not later than February 14th following the
         calendar year covered by the statement or within the time
         specified in Rule 13d-1(b)(2), if applicable.

2/29/2004
                                                  EXHIBIT A


                            AGREEMENT

                   JOINT FILING OF SCHEDULE 13G


     T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. (an investment adviser
registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940) and T. Rowe
Price New Horizons Fund, Inc., a Maryland corporation, hereby
agree to file jointly the statement on Schedule 13G to which this
Agreement is attached, and any amendments thereto which may be
deemed necessary, pursuant to Regulation 13D-G under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

     It is understood and agreed that each of the parties hereto
is responsible for the timely filing of such statement and any
amendments thereto, and for the completeness and accuracy of the
information concerning such party contained therein, but such
party is not responsible for the completeness or accuracy of
information concerning the other party unless such party knows or
has reason to believe that such information is inaccurate.

     It is understood and agreed that a copy of this Agreement
shall be attached as an exhibit to the statement on Schedule 13G,
and any amendments hereto, filed on behalf of each of the parties
hereto.


Dated: March 10, 2004              Dated:  March 10, 2004



T. ROWE PRICE NEW HORIZONS         T. ROWE PRICE ASSOCIATES, INC.
   FUND, INC.


By: /s/ Joseph A. Carrier          By: /s/ Henry H. Hopkins
    Joseph A. Carrier                 Henry H. Hopkins,
    Treasurer                         Vice President