In New York City, there's a special term of endearment in which we have with our local neighborhood grocery stores. You may know such a location as a mere 'deli', 'convenience store', 'supermarket' or 'mom and pop store'. But in Washington Heights and many other areas in NYC, this location is affectionately known as a "Bodega'.
Below is my trip to the local center of my neighborhood where every kid gets their start.
Ever since
I could remember the 111 Audubon Food Corp has been on the corner of the
Washington Heights block of 171st Street on Audubon Avenue. If you
are from New York City in the predominately uptown area of Manhattan called
Washington Heights corner stores referred to as “bodegas” is a business you see
on every other neighborhood block.
For those
of you who are wondering what a bodega is, well it is just another name for a
convenience store. A name that roots from Latino culture and the Spanish
language. When you visit a bodega you may find many products that are shipped
in from places around the country and world.
Now what
is it about the 111 Audubon Food Corp that makes it different from the other
bodegas around its neighborhood. This is what one of their frequent customer
had to say “This bodega is like a home. I have 30 years coming here. They treat
you like their own family. There’s nothing inconvenient here, we take care of
them and they take care of us. Everyone feels good. Not only that, we are also
from the same country, Dominican Republic.” - Vitalino Jimenez
Some would
say it is the sense of family and community that makes the bodega stand out
from the others. While some say it’s the availability and proximity that makes
it a good bodega. “It is a great experience, I’ve been coming here ever since I
moved back from Dominican Republic. I get everything I need from the store. I
don’t need to go to the store to get anything else, I just come up the block. They
have what I need, it is definitely a good experience.” - Jason Lantigua
Not only
are the customers at the 111 Audubon Food Corp happy but also their employees.
This is what George Taveras had to say about his experience working in the
bodega. “What I like most about my job is the companionship. They are my bosses
yet they treat their employees like brothers. This is obviously a family. All
the years I’ve been spent here we have familiarized ourselves with the people
in the community. Even you, I’ve known you since you were small.”
If you
happen to be in the Washington Heights area one day make sure you stop at this
bodega. They don’t have the “111” on their title for any reason. This most of
been their way of emphasizing that they are number 1, and it seems like they
aren’t lying about it either.
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| 111 Audubon Food Corp (c) 2016 photo by Rene Lantigua |
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| Inside of Audubon Food Corp (c) 2016 photo by Rene Lantigua |
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