Cute, convenient Bodega stocked well with essentials and "nice-to-haves" in an efficient layout…read more You can find everything from bottled water to a wide variety of diverse beers to necessary grocery and drugstore items here - such as Dr. Bronner's (which I think I saw behind the register, up high on a shelf), batteries (be wary of the unusual "generic" brand offered with an older expiration date), to produce and canned goods, to ice cream, candy, and chocolates - including Green & Black's organic line. I've also found dried fruit snacks here - including organic, non-GMO dried apricots covered in dark chocolate, very random beers (Bell's Smitten, Duvel, a variety of IPAs, typical American brands, and I even some Polish options - lots, in fact).
The owner, Mike Alamo, is a New Yorker, so he truly understands the concept of a bodega / cornerstore grocery, and there's a great article about his store's opening over on Syracuse (dot) com - which I'm spelling out, and to which I'm purposefully not linking, since every time I do, Yelp deletes my reviews due to content.
Since Mike also has a store in NYC, he keeps the inventory interesting - inclulding stocking something of which I'd never heard until recently: Choward's "Violet" Lavendar Mints. The only downside - and reason for the minus 1 star - is that after purchasing two packs, I noticed an expiration date of 3/11/11 and this was May 2014. :( I mentioned it to Mike tonight, and he didn't apologize or offer to replace/compensate in any way, which I felt was uncool (not that he had to). Fine. I just hope he really does re-stock these the next time he goes in to NYC, and that he starts being more aware of expiration dates. Note, also, the date on my Bell's Smitten Golden Rye Ale was bottled on 1/21/14, and - according to Bell's website - their ales only last 6 months, so again, I was pushing it with this product as well. Word to the wise: note expiration dates when you shop here. All that said, what are your other options in the area? Exactly.
In sum, I like this corner store because it reminds me of and epitomizes the concept that Jennifer Pahlka, Founder and Executive Director at Code for America, describes in her "Bodega 2.0: A Business for Healthy, Walkable Cities?" article on LinkedIn, dated January 16, 2013. Again, not linking due to Yelp's new hawkish and odd "governance". Be sure to Google it! :)