Bodega (store) facts for kids
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A bodega is a small shop. It is usually run by its owner. These shops often sell hot and prepared food. They are also known for staying open late. Bodegas often have foods and items from different cultures. They are very famous in New York City. Many were started by Puerto Rican people. Bodegas are known for being friendly and colorful places. There are about 13,000 bodegas across New York City.
What Does "Bodega" Mean?
The word bodega comes from Spanish. In Spanish, it means "storeroom" or "wine cellar." It can also mean "warehouse." The word is related to "boutique" or "apothecary." The exact meaning changes in different Spanish-speaking places. In New York City, the word changed. It came to mean a small grocery store. This meaning came from how Puerto Rican and Cuban people used the word.
The word "bodega" first appeared in English writing in 1846. It was used to describe wine cellars in Spain. In New York City, the first mention of a bodega was in 1902. It was described as a Spanish barroom back then. The specific meaning of a New York City convenience store came later. This was in the mid-1900s. In New York City, a bodega is like a delicatessen, a newsstand, or a corner store.
Bodega Culture and History
Bodegas became very popular in the mid-1900s. This happened because many Puerto Rican people moved to New York City. Some stores were even named after places in Puerto Rico. The first bodegas might have opened even earlier. Some early bodegas served factory workers. They also started in places like La Marqueta in East Harlem. Here, stalls selling Puerto Rican foods became more common.
Other Latino groups in New York City also opened bodegas. They started selling many types of Latin American foods. Today, about half of all bodegas are run by Yemeni American immigrants. Many bodegas stay open very late. Some are even open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This helps New York City keep its nickname, "The City That Never Sleeps."
Bodegas in Pop Culture
One famous bodega was called Gem Spa. It was a popular spot for beat poets in New York's Greenwich Village during the 1960s. Many people also believe that the famous New York drink, the egg cream, was invented at Gem Spa.
