what is a bodega store

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. They are often open 24/7 and located on nearly every street corner in New York City. Bodegas are neighborhood landmarks and locals often know the owners and workers. They can sometimes count on these stores to accept packages and hold onto keys for visitors in lieu of a doorman. Bodegas are often run by Latinx immigrants who came to New York after World War II and desired a local convenience store that they could run to daily. The name bodega originates from the Spanish word, which can mean “storeroom,” “wine cellar,” or “grocery store”. The precise meaning varies regionally in the Spanish language, and the later New York City term evolved from Puerto Rican and Cuban usage for "small grocery"). Bodegas were popularized in the mid-twentieth century by Puerto Ricans). They exist in most of Central America and those that immigrate to New York often continue patronizing them.