What is a bodega? A bodega is a Spanish word typically associated with a small grocery store or neighborhood convenience store predominately owned and run by Hispanics, among other ethnic groups. However, there are other associations with this word as well. The word bodega also means a wine shop or a warehouse for the storage of wine. Nevertheless, if you ask most people what a bodega is, they will tell you it is a small grocery store, but not a 7-11. I chose to title this book Brooklyn Bodega simply because of the many distinct bodegas in Brooklyn. Although Manhattan and Staten Island have bodegas also, they do not share the genuine look and feel of Brooklyn's bodegas. Furthermore, there are just too many bodegas in the Bronx and Queens to go out and photograph. Besides that, Brooklyn Bodega sounds much cooler than New York City Bodega!
Growing up in Brooklyn and living here practically all my life, I was exposed to a certain kind of lifestyle-a certain culture-one consisting of various ethnic communities and one-of-a-kind neighborhoods. Immigrants who make up these communities are Dominican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Saudi-Arabian, Mexican, Korean, Chinese, Indian, Senegalese, Italian, Russian, Polish and many more.
Brooklyn Bodega primarily focuses on the visual and aesthetic look of the bodega, if you will. Although there is much history to the bodega, what the author, Michael Leifman, is concentrating on is the look of the bodega.
By displaying exterior photographs, you can see how each bodega shares similar but distinct features. With the corrugated metal awnings, yellow and red colors, and bold graphics, these architectural structures are a part of the unmistakable landscape of New York City. Each photograph allows the viewer to see how the bodega stands on its own.
By incorporating people, graffiti, and advertising, the bodega becomes a product of the community-a place that fits right into its surroundings and plays a special role with the people who frequent it.
