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The Birthing of a (Yet Another) Bodega
By The Changeling | May 30, 2007
Because walking more than half a block to get to a bodega is considered half a block too far for many people, the Sharianna Mini Market has answered their prayers by opening a bodega-style establishment on the corner of Marcy and Kosciuszko Pulaski. Now the folks at the corner of Marcy and Kosciuszko Pulaski will no longer have to make that arduous one block trek to get their milk and Black and Milds. Electricgreek turned me onto this place, so thanks to him I was able to watch the bodega birthing process. I must say that although I was disappointed in what this corner developed into, it was fun to guess along the way what would be opening here.
I believe that BushwickBK.com has claimed that they have the “bodega belt” within the confines of their neighborhood. I might have to call for a recount. If there is ever a Brooklyn bodega census, Bed-Stuy might end up on top–even if you statistially controlled for neighborhood size. Our per capita bodega number has got to be the highest in Brooklyn.
Not only do I hate bodegas because of what they sell (high fat/high salt/high sugar foods, Lotto tickets, etc.) and the trash they generate, I hate them because of the way they look. They never have an original design and based on what I saw on the Clinton Hill Blog’s Bodega Cats Series even all of the cats look the same. All bodega cats are calico!Â
Bodegas always choose the wackest and cheapest awnings. Take a look at Sharianna’s above. Why didn’t they choose to make the top of the awning white and the bottom portion blue, because it’s only a matter of time before the top part gets festooned with pigeon droppings that will go unnoticed by the owners for years. If the top of the awning were white, at least that would camouflage the bird mookie so that it would be less noticeable.
Ok, no more negativity. Let’s look at the bright side of things. Literally. Take a good long look at that window. I’ve NEVER seen a bodega with windows this clean! Have you? I thought all bodega owners purposely installed them grease-stained and hazy. You can actually make out the name of the various cleaning supplies on the window shelf! I’ll give the Sharianna Market a couple of points for nice windows, but the accolades stop there. When are we getting a real market ’round here?
May 30th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
it’s on marcy and pulaski
May 30th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
Thanks Electricgreek! I get so mixed up on the cross streets.
May 30th, 2007 at 9:44 pm
Oh no you did NOT.
http://bushwickbk.com/archives/45
May 30th, 2007 at 10:06 pm
no problem kiddo
June 3rd, 2007 at 5:12 pm
We bought our home on Pulaski 3 years ago. This bodega was there before us. They closed for about 2 months for remodeling. I do know there are 2 spaces (commercial) being renovated. All that to say, correction, it’s not new just remodeled.
June 3rd, 2007 at 6:41 pm
Ok, so I guess that means we didn’t add to our bodega number. I guess the upside of this is that our bodegas are becoming more upscale?
Actually, Jeremy over at Bushwickbk.com has corrected me by saying the Sharianna really doesn’t qualify as a bodega. Go to http://www.Bushwickbk.com and read his hilarious post about what does and doesn’t qualify as a bodega.
August 21st, 2007 at 12:36 pm
[...] The Changeling in Bed-Stuy challenges my characterization of Bushwick proper as the Bodega Belt, and that her hood might have more bodegas per capita. Mm-mm, girl, you need to take a walk up in here one day — you cannot stand on a Bushwick corner and not see a bodega — some corners have two and even three! [...]
August 21st, 2007 at 7:34 pm
I have a calico bodega cat! that is sooooo funny!