Corner Store Chronicles
Long Live the Bodega
Bodegas like Susan’s in Queens, NY aren’t just a part of the community — they create it
Update 6/7/22: Level has a new home. You can read this article and other new articles by visiting LEVELMAN.com.
When 2020 is said and done, it’ll likely become known as the year of massive uncertainty. But with so much instability (from Covid-19 to crimson skies on the West Coast), corner store culture remains familiar. LEVEL’s “Corner Store Chronicles” series pays homage to the power of the store that delivers the warmth and care that ACME will never replicate. Whether known as bodegas, tienditas, or another term of endearment where you’re from, our hoods would be nothing without them.
From the platform at the Seneca Avenue train station in Queens, NY, the Empire State Building’s silhouette is just visible.
It’s a whisper of luxury, the glamour of Manhattan quickly giving way to Ridgewood’s arching, asphalt hills and graffitied rooftops. As daylight fades, the streetlights begin an electric choir, and the neon facades of the many bodegas that line the avenue come aglow.
Ridgewood Finest Deli; Classic Deli & Grill; JMC. On short walks home from the station, I’ve frequented most of these spots. I’ve…
