Bodegas might be a New York City phenomenon. These small grocery stores offer convenience to countless neighborhoods, and they share similarities that go beyond cereal offerings. So for all of the non-New Yorkers (and locals who still don’t quite understand), here we answer the question “What is a bodega?” once and for all.
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Manhattan Rentals Under $3000 on StreetEasyArticle continues below
Hamilton Heights
620 West 143rd Street
$2,995No Fee
1 |
1
Hamilton Heights
620 West 143rd Street
$2,598No Fee
Studio |
1
South Harlem
2270 Frederick Douglass Boulevard
$2,650No Fee
Studio |
1
South Harlem
2074 F Douglas Boulevard
$2,850No Fee
1 |
1
Lenox Hill
125 East 71st Street
$2,850No Fee
1 |
1
Washington Heights
715 West 172nd Street
$2,908No Fee
2 |
1
Central Harlem
112 West 138th Street
$2,200No Fee
2 |
1
East Village
309 East 9th Street
$2,800No Fee
1 |
1
Sutton Place
1047 Second Avenue
$2,700No Fee
Studio |
1
Fort George
9 Thayer Street
$2,400No Fee
2 |
1
Inwood
5008 Broadway
$3,000No Fee
2 |
1
East Village
512 East 12th Street
$2,500No Fee
1 |
1
The History of NYC Bodegas
The name bodega originates from the Spanish word — which can mean “storeroom,” “wine cellar,” or “grocery store.” The majority of them were opened by Latinx immigrants who came to New York after World War II and desired a local convenience store that they could run to daily. New Yorkers as a whole took to the idea, and these small shops multiplied.
What’s a Bodega?
A bodega is a small convenience store that sells staples like chips, candy, coffee, sodas, lottery tickets, and over-the-counter remedies, along with household items like laundry detergent and trash bags. Some have a deli counter, some sell beer, and some have neither, but what defines them goes beyond any one product.
Most are open 24/7, ensuring that you’ll always have access to ramen and detergent in even the direst situations (e.g., if you’re doing laundry while hungry in the middle of the night). They’re also ubiquitous, with more than 8,000 bodegas spread across New York’s five boroughs. The number isn’t 100% certain, because the health department only recognizes 7,104, but the number is probably much higher. Thanks to all those bodegas, if you need to pick up something after a night out, you can do so at 4 a.m. without leaving your neighborhood.
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Brooklyn Heights
226 Henry Street
$3,000No Fee
1 |
1
Crown Heights
809 Park Place
$3,000No Fee
3 |
1
Sunset Park
535 45th Street
$2,500No Fee
2 |
1
Stuyvesant Heights
930 De Kalb Avenue
$2,875No Fee
2 |
1
Flatbush
178 East 32nd Street
$2,500No Fee
2 |
1
Midwood
1652 East 14th Street
$2,650No Fee
1 |
1
Ocean Hill
145 Rockaway Avenue
$2,450No Fee
2 |
1
Midwood
1277 E 14th Street
$2,773No Fee
1 |
1
Park Slope
374 Seventh Avenue
$2,600No Fee
1 |
1
Greenwood
208 18th Street
$2,250No Fee
1 |
1
Prospect Lefferts Gardens
181 Hawthorne Street
$2,367No Fee
1 |
1
Park Slope
208 Saint John’s Place
$2,800No Fee
1 |
1
What’s a Bodega Cat?
As all NYC locals know, many bodegas also have cats. Although some shoppers don’t appreciate their presence, bodega cats actually serve a larger good: exterminating rodents, whose presence (trust us) is less favorable than even the grouchiest feline.
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Rego Park
63-68 Austin Street
$2,900No Fee
Studio |
1
Sunnyside
41-22 45th Street
$2,500No Fee
1 |
1
Ditmars-Steinway
31-15 21st Avenue
$2,350No Fee
1 |
1
Long Island City
36-10 9th Street
$2,600No Fee
2 |
1
Forest Hills
69-65 Yellowston Boulevard
$2,933No Fee
1 |
1
Astoria
21-24 Newtown Avenue
$2,999No Fee
1 |
1
Ditmars-Steinway
21-16 24th Street
$2,300No Fee
1 |
1
Oakland Gardens
221-02 67th Avenue
$2,600No Fee
2 |
1
Rego Park
65-18 Austin Street
$2,700No Fee
1 |
1
Ditmars-Steinway
20-60 33rd Street
$2,500No Fee
1 |
1
Astoria
30-17 42nd Street
$3,000No Fee
3 |
1
Rego Park
65-20 Booth Street
$2,900No Fee
2 |
1
Can I Send Packages to My Local Bodega?
But perhaps the strangest concept for visitors to understand is that bodegas are neighborhood landmarks. Locals often know the owners and workers, and can sometimes count on these stores to accept packages and hold onto keys for visitors in lieu of a doorman. They’re open 24/7, and therefore very reliable. Many of these store owners are more than happy to help, and it’s common practice to pay a small thank-you fee for any not-strictly-bodega-related activity.
Other Things to Know About Bodegas
Many of them usually have a credit card minimum, so make sure to bring cash, or you’ll find yourself doubling up on ice cream and cookie dough — not a tragic outcome by any means, but good to remember. Also, you can’t assume that most of these shops stock beer, as some simply sell soft drinks and juices. Luckily, there’s usually another bodega right down the block with everything else you’re searching for. And if you’re new in town or need some help finding an electrician or handyman, think about looking to your local bodega team for advice. As mentioned above, they can often help with receiving packages, and their local knowledge can extend much further than you might expect.
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Morris Park
1545 Rhinelander Avenue
$2,419No Fee
2 |
1
University Heights
2285 Sedgewick Avenue
$1,699No Fee
1 |
1
Bedford Park
3006 Decatur Avenue
$1,699No Fee
1 |
1
Kingsbridge Heights
2880 Bailey Avenue
$2,584No Fee
1 |
1
Riverdale
6629 Broadway
$2,250No Fee
1 |
1
Spuyten Duyvil
625 West 227th Street
$2,145No Fee
1 |
1
Riverdale
3716 Blackstone Avenue
$2,700No Fee
2 |
1
North New York
417 East 135th Street
$2,450No Fee
2 |
1
University Heights
2170 University Avenue
$1,950No Fee
1 |
1
Highbridge
917 Ogden Avenue
$2,395No Fee
2 |
1
Concourse
1504 Sheridan Avenue
$2,400No Fee
2 |
1
Pelham Parkway
2157 Wallace Avenue
$1,750No Fee
1 |
1
The Future of Bodegas
Although bodegas are an NYC staple, that doesn’t mean they’re thriving; in fact, the opposite is unfortunately true. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a slew of bodegas and other small businesses have closed. In the previous few years before the pandemic, many local stores have been forced to close due to rising rents and chain store competition. And in 2017, two ex-Google employees began a startup app, “Bodega,” which involved selling convenience store items from automated boxes. Many reacted angrily, criticizing the team for appropriating the bodega name and trying to put these mom-and-pop shops out of business. Even after rebranding to “Stockwell” in 2019, the brand went under in 2020. After all, locals love these shops; they’re a crucial part of the New York neighborhood landscape. And despite the hardships and competition facing them, they’re not going anywhere any time soon.