Why Do Dominicans Own So Many New York Corner Stores? | AJ+

The bodega is a New York City institution. It's where you get anything from eggs and milk to hot sandwiches and plátanos. And for decades, the Dominican-American community has run so many of them, turning them from corner stores to something extra special.
Watch more AJ+ Because Facts: ajplus.co/becausefacts
Learn more here:
NPR. “New York City Bodegas and the Generations Who Love Them.” www.npr.org/sections/codeswit...
New York Times. “Bodegas Declining in Manhattan as Rents Rise and Chains Grow.”
www.nytimes.com/2015/08/04/ny...
Gothamist. “Ask a Native New Yorker: What's the Difference Between a Bodega, a Deli and Corner Grocer?”
gothamist.com/2014/05/02/ask_a...
Presented by: Daniel Alvarenga
Produced by: Omar Duwaji and Kat Wheeler
Shot & Edited by: Brian Joseph
Interviews shot by: Fanny Texier
Broll shot by: Fanny Texier and Hunter Boone
Animations by: Chia Liu
Executive Producer: Sarah Nasr
Music tracks courtesy of APM
Footage and images courtesy of Getty Images, Reuters and the Center for Puerto Rican Studies, Hunter College.
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[@PNCHTACO]

I love how they slow themselves in order for other Spanish natives to understand . Because if it was a Dominican talking to another Dominican . A whole different Spanish.

[@deviantanomaly]

Elvis Ines They probably told her to slow it down for sure 😂

[@nathangrant93]

LMAO

[@hanahanehani]

Haha, we get on "proper mode" when situations are less colloquial (at work or when public speaking) but on regular basis we just go turbo :P

[@KS-qr1ry]

same here with us salvadorans

[@jhova187]

KS 451 I’m Salvadoran DR takes the cake for fast talking , by far.

[@3hpleft]

Bodega cats are part of the most amazing part of bodega.

[@alexd3693]

I’m a white dominican

[@nataliecaba3045]

@@alexd3693 good for u

[@blueblaze9862]

They are so cute

[@MrPavySRK]

It ain't a bodega if there isn't bachata playing and a group of old dudes in the back by the drinks lol

[@oldacc8164]

Pabel casimiro and a group of people playing dominos

[@MrPavySRK]

Princesa_Almonte outside the store of course lol

[@marlenerosa1697]

nah the other day , they were having a cookout at the bodega by me. Its corner store, and to its left is a taxi base....super Dominican all day lol

[@daliacapellan]

Playing dominoes

[@rachel5680]

LMFAOOO facts

[@710MaryJane]

Great video! My parents immigrated to the USA in 1950, from the Dominican Republic, I was born 1951. We lived in SoHo, Mott St., Little Italy, before it was gentrified. in 1956, my parents bought their first two family home in Canarsie, Brooklyn, N.Y. In 1962, they sold and bought land and built a home in Roxbury, New Jersey. My parents worked two and three jobs and encouraged my brother and I to go to Universities. I have a Bachelors Degree and two Masters Degrees. We are their legacy!

[@WeWuzKangz13]

Went to St. Patrick's.

[@Andy-ob6lj]

❤

[@amberturner8503]

The bodega in the Latino community is just like candy lady in the black American community very important and loved in our community ✊🏾😍💙

[@pm0913]

Amber Turner GANG GANG

[@yahgirl1726]

In New York bodegas are in EVERY community. Most communities are mixed with Puerto Ricans, Black Americans and Dominicans. And I'm pretty sure everyone loved candy land.

[@cherrymoia]

Kem 123 what black person shit in ur coffee??? lmaooo y’all always got something to say bout us

[@ellokotron1139]

NOT ONLY IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY BUT FOR ALL ETHNIC GROUP IN THE COMMUNITY

[@user-kn1oy2tj5g]

Kem 123 well Afro Latinos do exist....

[@ripaccount-n2x]

What about why Dominicans now own most of the barbershops

[@Ludax]

@IC U nice, maybe we can buy Puerto Rico off of puertoricans too!. oh, wait..

[@jenzzzz]

because dominicans give the best haircuts. i’m from nyc and everybody agrees. you know your barber is good if he’s dominican

[@Callebravo]

Luda weak attempt at Puerto Ricans 👎🏽

[@MD-iw9te]

because one thing is for sure, they are the BEST barbers, the best haircuts I have gotten were from Dominican barbers

[@MD-iw9te]

@@Callebravo to be honest with you, it's sad because I love Puerto Rico, but they are doing so bad, their economy is horrible, the Dominican Republic is one of the richest country in all of Latin America and the richest in the carribbean, Puerto Rico doesnt even own their own country, they are still colonized, and the Puerto Rican people aren't doing anything to change that

[@ap-ql3os]

Loved this! I grew up in the Heights, born to a Cuban Dad and a Dominican mom, who over the years had a couple of bodegas. We moved up to Westchester when I got older, where my parents opened their last bodega. Everyone in the neighborhood loved my dad and brother, since they were there in the store everyday they really got to know everyone in the community.

[@GeistInTheMachine]

I was born in Santo Domingo and was brought to America when I was very young. For at least a decade, when my family lived in the Northeast, they would bring me to the hair stylish who owned a business right next door to a bodega. I made so many memories there. We would always go to that bodega next door to get Dominican food after I got my haircut. When I got older and left home for the first time to go to college, I realized I had no idea how to ask for a haircut from anyone else, since I had the same woman cut my hair since I was a boy. Really Embarassing. Now my family is all broken up and I live somewhere else entirely. I miss that barber shop and bodega so much.

[@mickeymorgan]

Thanks for the good story. A good memory that no one can take from you.

[@GeistInTheMachine]

mickey morgan Thanks for reading.

[@ddacoe0]

I can relate to the haircut thing lol. I always went to the same person my whole life. When I left home...I realized I didn't know how barbershops worked, or who to go to lol.

[@Grimmes12]

Sal Marciano I almost confused you with Sal Marchiano and when I first left Washington Heights to go work at ESPN I said the same thing as Sal "Happiness is Bristol in my the rear view mirror" now I'm back and thankfully I would make it back every weekend and get my cuts from my barber.

[@geogmz8277]

Hahaha same here.. My family is spread all over the union.. What I did is that I asked my Barber the numbers of guards he used to cut my hair.. #2 on the sides.. To start and then fade.. #5 on top to start.. Until I like it.. 😅 Llevate de mi!

[@joshuawinns8600]

The Brand is strong

[@ProjectFreelancer64]

DE LO MIO PERSONAL

[@ME-ol9gk]

ProjectFreelancer64 what’s the translation

[@alpha4ever455]

GRAAAAA

[@QTip0055]

GANG GANG

[@awesomeirlable]

I love your profile pic btw

[@MYVloliDiruJP]

One thing you missed. It also reminded them of home. I’m Dominican born and raised. In DR we’ve always had bodega type stores called “colmado”. Also we have some open “colmado” that we go dance to at night.

[@Xenlacasa45]

Lily Dew that is true

[@alexasoto3494]

Exactly!!

[@luistorres6363]

I remember when in 1975, I sold my Bodega in the Bronx. I left to Puerto Rico with my parents

[@nycricanpapi]

Bodegas were created by Puerto Ricans.. people think it was created by Dominicans, but that's false..

[@sonatinetwilight2730]

@@nycricanpapi bodegas were actually originally owned by cubans and then ricans. us dominicans were the first to own colmados 🔥much love to y’all tho

[@nycricanpapi]

@@sonatinetwilight2730 no it was by Puerto Ricans. I don't know from where are you getting the info from... Look it up.

[@sonatinetwilight2730]

@@nycricanpapi because you are from new york not from the islands. for nuyoricans, they started it. but in the caribbean islands, the word “bodega” is cuban etymology. any islander raised in the caribbean knows that cubans started bodegas in the caribbean and owned almost all the stores. then ricans started moving to new york in the 1930s and opened up bodegas like the cubans owned in the caribbean. it’s simple.

[@felixgarcia9857]

Regardless of what it is please let’s not go back-and-forth with throwing shade at each other What’s important is that we as a community of Latinos help each other out I know for a damn fact that none of The people that were the original owners Of the bodegas Weren’t having this conversation of who was the first. What they did is they helped one another giving each other an opportunity to thrive. It’s actually embarrassing that we tend to have these dumb conversation of who started what. We can learn A lot about our ancestors back then. I know for a fact that they will be embarrassed by this kind of behavior. Even when the documentary like this which is rare shows up to pay tribute tu US Latino AND the many contribution we have done for this country, we never praise each other instead we go against each other and make this like is a competition! Like seriously people do better.

[@eljuancho2]

Thank you very much I'm a Dominican living in New York for 14 years, I wanted my own business,I started learning about laws and taxes that hurt small businesses and only help big businesses, so I became an investor instead.

[@cjc2]

Dominicans are now selling the stores to Yemenites and Albanians. Lots of Yemenite immigrants nowadays run grocery stores in Manhattan .

[@kris5885]

Haitian, Somalian, and Samoan diasporas in the U.S. would be very interesting because they are huge and aren’t talked about or represented.

[@nebraska22]

K Salomon yes somalis would be nice

[@TravelwithRia92]

Yes Somali would be nice since I'm one lol 😅

[@GlobeOil0030official]

Salt Lake City Utah comes to my mind with I hear the word Samoan

[@nebraska22]

Gʟᴏʙᴇ Oɪʟ 万 / 0030 When I hear SLC Mormons come to my minf

[@kris5885]

Gʟᴏʙᴇ Oɪʟ 万 / 0030 I just recently found out they had a Samoan community, just another reason why a short documentary is needed

[@D-Rizzle653]

New York corner stores has so much character and just New York in general compared to our corner stores here in Australia 🇦🇺 I want to visit New York so badly but I wouldnt live there..my anxiety is bad enough thank you lol

[@b-fresh7265]

Where all my Caribbean gente at YA TU SABE 🇩🇴🇨🇺🇵🇷 we DA best

[@ivansoto78]

Sup to all my Caribbean brother's from a P.R🇵🇷

[@tratallere]

🇵🇷🇨🇺🇩🇴🇯🇲🇹🇹🇭🇹

[@BoricuaNyc]

🇵🇷🇨🇺🇩🇴

[@victormelothemaster]

Very interesting article about the hard work of Dominican people and how they add value to american society

[@echa_caldo]

HAHAHA hard work??? Hahaha the Puertoricans already did the hard work for y'all!!!hahaha are u fukin kid'n me??? My uncle owns 20 properties in newyork and to be exact Washington heights my uncle rents his bodegas he still owns now that he ran 63yrs back hes 84 now and now rents it and picks up the rent every month from dumb ina cans and arbas and jamaican so what u talkin about? Dumb ina cans just came in the YESTERDAYS into nyc in the early to mid 80s when my uncle was in the late 40's in NYC hahaha how old are you and all these people making these comments 17-27yrs??? What would ya know anyway?? Dumb in a cans didny exist or mentioned or seen or felt or no one knew who or what thet were only that its a 3rd world country and 80% population is illiterate and that haiti took more than half the land and dumb in a cans rather leave to take a risk that the sharks from P.rico to eat their asses in yola boats to P.Rico thats the only thing thats heard from Hd/dH dominiHAITI OR HAITIdomini

[@rolphyvalentine9138]

@William Digregorio haha I do not read anything about your shit

[@ninahndz5880]

@@rolphyvalentine9138 you mean your shit. Rolphy speaks the truth. Dominicans obtain everything illegally

[@clos1203]

Rolphy Valentine the truth hurts us Puerto Rican’s started it we sold y’all a business all y’all had to do was run with it

[@JM-pn5nu]

@@clos1203 You should be asking yourself why Puerto Ricans have been displaced and are losing ya'll culture instead of hating.

[@alexasoto3494]

I also feel like there’s a strong influence from colmados/colmadones in DR. They’re basically bigger bodegas that offer a variety of items from food to personal care as well. Everyone likes to also spend their days there having a good time too 😊

[@ninahndz5880]

Puerto Ricans owned them first. Moved on, sold their stores

[@willrodz8453]

True

[@Anamer22]

Loved it! Thank you for highlighting our culture so well.

[@gorditostyle]

Bodega are dieing out to Yemen deli in the last few years

[@MorningStarEli]

I’m Dominican and I agree with you 💯 %

[@user-dz7dm1tv1z]

I’m half Yemeni 🇾🇪 n I love Dominicans

[@felixgarcia9857]

You’re absolutely right I live in Hamilton Heights and it’s crazy how a lot of the Dominicans deli are dying out. I live in Hamilton Heights and it’s really changing the neighborhood I love the transitioning because at the end of the day it’s give other people The ability to introduce there culture to the community and the opportunity to educate within ourselves by introduction of what they have to offer. the only problem is that sometimes we need to also cater to the community where we bring our business to. I have to now go to a supermarket to get some Platanos or get my bacon or salami since a lot of the Yemenis don’t really sell that in there delis.That’s my only complain about the transitioning. Also you got to give it to the Yemenis they are definitely turning these bodega Into a fine space in upgrading The space.

[@abibo101]

The term "bodega" was first used by Puerto Ricans, although that term in classical Spanish refers to a cellar. The people in the DR refer to such stores as "colmados".

[@tedfebo1741]

In Puerto Rico, they're usually called colmados, as well.

[@ninahndz5880]

In Puerto Rico it is also referred to as colmados

[@quisqueyanguy120]

In the DR we also call them Bodegas, it depends. But colmados is more common. I think that a Bodega is just a big Colmado.

[@tratallere]

Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 also colmado

[@willrodz8453]

Yes the Puerto Rican’s in New York called them bodegas , but when you go to Puerto Rico it’s a colmado all the day .

[@victortowfon]

This video is so good. Felicitaciones! Muy completo y muy bien explicado

[@luistorres6363]

Yes. I’m Puertorican and own a Bodega in the 70’s. Then I went back to Puerto Rico in 1975. Retired in. Florida.

[@alpha4ever455]

I can here Mero right now with that GRRAAAAAA

[@lalucedm]

The large Burmese immigration that's been happening recently in many smaller US cities (Ft. Wayne, IN, Buffalo, Albany, Tulsa among them) is an interesting phenomenon. Also, the Marshallese immigration to NW Arkansas.

[@hotpopcorncake]

Thanks for letting me know if ever want to meet Burmese people.

[@luisbaez8730]

Great video 👍🏽

[@82luft49]

I recently moved from the Bronx to South Carolina. Not only do I miss the Big Apple, but now I have to drive a around trip of 8 miles just to buy a carton milk! When I lived in the Bronx, all I had to do was go down stairs from my apt., go to the Dominican Bodega on the corner, pick up milk and whatever else I needed, and back up to my apt. in less than 8 minutes. Great owner too.

[@marlenerosa1697]

This was interesting. My dad use to own a bodega when I was younger....i loved the bodega's cat. I'm surprised they didn't mention colmados which is essentially paralleled to the bodega but in DR. They are essentially the same thing but look different because the bodega is in NY, and colmados are in DR. They serve limited items, food, and serve as a place Dominicans conjugate to, a social institution. Also, since most of the DR is rural, and supermarkets are far colmados are needed. Just like we need bodegas and grocery stores in nyc, esp in places were there are food deserts.

[@BuddyL]

I know I'll likely never see NY🗽 in person, but this is an enlightening look at a crucial piece of both NY and US history. 🇺🇸🇩🇴

[@ovh992]

You need bigger dreams

[@BuddyL]

@@ovh992 Dreams are free; airfare isn't.

[@ovh992]

@@BuddyL where do u live?

[@BuddyL]

@@ovh992 Not in NY, obviously. And I've had this conversation for *20 years* with the only thing changing being the person asking; not my finances, which one needs in uber-expensive NY. I'm not missing anything by not going.

[@felixgarcia9857]

If you live in the United States you’re just a bus away from your dreams there is no excuse. I would understand if you lived somewhere in another country then that’s understandable. But please if you live in the United States there’s many ways not biplane. Think about all those dumb stuff that we have purchased at our lives that we don’t need what do you could do is save up and trust me you’re just a bus away from making your dreams come true or plane away to make your dream come true.

[@MisterFlipFlop]

Dope video. Subbed

[@Acord718]

So a video on Nuyorican culture in NYC

[@passi4453]

Do the Iraqis in Michigan, The Vietnamese in Texas, The Indians in California and Filipinos or Japanese in Hawaii please!!!

[@noahadames4784]

Hector Lujan wass gud shiva

[@gleidson105]

BRAZILIANS in BOSTON AND ORLANDO

[@sandygreen8257]

What about black people who built this country, how many stops do we own?

[@passi4453]

@@sandygreen8257 If black people invested as much money as they spent in sneakers, jewelry, weave and car parts as they did investing in land, property, education or the stock market the black community will definitely benefit. I understand the game and hustlin but use the money wisely and help your community not further damage it.

[@SR-pb6wf]

Its in our culture because in DR most of us never had large chain supermarkets nearby unless you lived in a large city. Also, most families relied on motorcycles instead of cars. If you go to DR theres a bodega for like every 10 homes.

[@roquehernandez5192]

Thanks alot dude , very much progress of the Dominican here and a patio. 🇩🇴🇺🇸🤟

[@eantonia7620]

Not just bodegas, supermarkets, barbershop, beauty salons, auto shops, restaurants etc, etc

[@dominicanbrian]

Yasss I love this! 😍 Where are my Dominicans at?! ✊🏽🇩🇴

[@prouddominican8054]

dominicanbrian in D.R

[@dominicanbrian]

Proud Dominican 😐🙄

[@dominicanbrian]

Teamototo TV oh so this is where you found me troll, crawl back from wherever you came from lol

[@ariannasalcedo75]

Here!!!

[@memoe8146]

The yemen own most of the delis!

[@nancyaneke1346]

Can you do Nigerians and Nigerian-Americans in Houston, Atlanta, or New York. I would also like to see Ethiopians or Somalians.

[@robinlavance8215]

Hell no

[@wiseass2149]

Jeff Sessions needs to have several seats after this video.

[@Eli08ish]

Thanks for the informative video. La cultura dominicana es bella.

[@chrismsterling7383]

Am Boricua salutes Brothers 🇵🇷🇩🇴

[@quisqueyanguy120]

Caribbean Brothers! Cuba + DR + PR

[@shomardinho14]

cover the Jamaican-American community

[@TheSpogNYC]

That's my hood- Flatbush/East Flatbush.

[@colorfulcodes]

Yep, they're all over NY.

[@annettes_world]

Love this

[@mavenfeliciano1710]

Yep, was run by Puerto Rican’s before Dominicans came. I remember being with my dad and he was mentioning it to someone when I had returned to live with him as a young teen. I would see Puerto Rican and Dominican run bodegas, but as the years passed less and less Puerto Rican’s owned them.

[@anatejada1100]

Yep and now is changing again, ppl from Yemen are buying them non stop

[@gabrielmendez2054]

Salvadorians in the Washington DC area

[@kingnuke168]

Europa Man the USA don’t need anymore white racist ..... America is for the free Salvadoran come on in but do it the right way and live and love and be happy ... Stop hating.... Fuxk y’all racist people

[@dukekenny9340]

Kem 123 Latin Nation like Brazil which has a lot of whites

[@dukekenny9340]

OneStop4Sports Wrong El Salvadorans for El Salvador

[@dukekenny9340]

Kem 123 25 percent of Mexican population, 1/3 of Central America, 60 percent of legal immigrants come from Latin America

[@pressureflipin1992]

More Salvadorians can only mean one thing....MORE PUPUSAS!!!!! Yes!!!!

[@dudeyourarecool]

I love this!

[@themanthemyth7950]

I loves that look she gave the customer on the phone at 1:20 when talking about her as a "Friendly face" lmao..

[@danielkosciuszko9788]

Who did the research for this? In the DR everyone either owns or wants to own a colmodo, which is what they call bodegas, unless you’re the super rich. It’s where you can do anything. The colmodo in the DR is the bodega in NYC and New Jersey too. But that’s the more simple explanation.

[@jacobgrindstaff9947]

Colombia diaspora in NYC and Miami!

[@edgarJM903]

Jacob Grindstaff really

[@y.diggity2315]

Bless that guys heart❤️

[@dawnfkahamilton-doerfler6982]

In Mexico I loved supporting all the small family bodegas or corner store. Every day I made sure to go to a new families store.

[@callmeswivelhips8229]

Yo estoy intentando escuchar a el español en este video porque yo estoy aprendiendolo. Yo escuché y entendí un poco, pero yo todavia tengo mucho aprender...especialmente mi habilidad de escuchar y comprender a español.

[@callmeswivelhips8229]

I know nothing of Domincan Spanish, but voy a Ecuador en Septiembre, asi que estaré aprendiendo desde ecuatorianos, no dominicanos.

[@MYVloliDiruJP]

Si el español dominicano toma tiempo para entender. Todos los países hablan español solo un poquito diferente. Pretty good Spanish btw

[@deviantanomaly]

Trust me, don't feel bad. Our spanish dialect is really hard to learn. The speed at which some of us speak it doesn't help either. 😂😂

[@youstolethecookie]

Lo estas haciendo muy bien amigo. Sigue hacia adelante.

[@Ilovedividend]

@Rio Gotti Lol u mad cause u can't speak like dominicans speak Spanish. They speak fast and cut. That is why a lot spanish native don't understand us. KlK MMG.

[@MrCorcoran79]

While not fully in the idea of the diaspora conversation, a series dismantling "whiteness" like how it is shown in "How the Irish Became White" would be great to see.

[@ImNotEnoch]

I love how when I lived in the Bronx, you can look almost anywhere, and youll find a bodega

[@daliacapellan]

And most of those *bodegueros* (Bodega owners) are *Banilejos* (from the province of Baní in D.R.). Shout out to my compadres @ Quisqueya Deli in Brooklyn!!! 😛🥑🥥🍠

[@TJtheHuman]

Lebanese-Americans tell me their ancestors had to become farmers when they first came here.

[@viteazul3]

I think the lebanease actually first came to Detroit to work in the automotive industry.

[@yeshwanthmadineni5713]

Cover various Indian immigrant communities. I would like to say a few words. I have seen a lot videos but I have rarely spotted any videos about the south asian communities. Of course you may be having your preferences and priorities but this is something you people should consider.

[@pinkyfinger9851]

Indians are already over represented

[@lamoskgr]

7:50 God Bless that man! He's an amazing man! Dios lo bendiga siempre. So proud of him 💗

[@eritreanhottie101]

Loved this video and your channel! I’d like to see the Eritrean diaspora on here

[@aresrodriguez9795]

Good for Dominicans❤💙

[@luigipirate8116]

A lot or Arabic now owned gourmet deli they replaced Dominican Bodega they sell a lot of hookah and other stuff

[@ellokotron1139]

Dominicans love hookah

[@albalexramirezelizo6666]

Hahahhahaha there are many dominicans who like hookah. I personally don't.

[@hillary5271]

Lol didn’t hear about Arab bodegas until now. Most bodegas in NY are Dominican or PR.

[@ericgonzalez3641]

Not all of us love hookah, the majority of those who smoke hookah are uneducated

[@albalexramirezelizo6666]

@@ericgonzalez3641 yeah, that is important to point out

[@jayclawwit6489]

Oh you call it 'bodega', too! Our bodega in the PH is a huge building where it's used as a storage room or sometimes the actual store.

[@animegirlnamedDani]

Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese, Filipinos, Persians - I grew up in a community with large groups of these communities that flicked to our city, and I’d love to know more about how these communities formed and where else (if any) these diasporas took place

[@dangerislander]

Do Pacific Islander Polynesians (not Hawaiians) please

[@crystalevans2123]

Why not Hawaiians? I think that Native Hawaiians should be treated the same as Alaska Natives and Native American tribes that have their own nations.

[@dangerislander]

Crystal Evans because whenever americans think of pacific islanders or polynesians they think of Hawaiians... theres more to polynesia than just Hawaii!!!

[@sparkman1314able]

Crystal Evans those people aren't the same

[@JT-wh3dy]

Europa Man The US doesn’t need anymore RACISTS, pls move!

[@gethipped99]

Y’all should talk about the huge Nigerian population in PG County Maryland

[@gethipped99]

Europa Man and why not?

[@gethipped99]

Europa Man so you’re pretty much saying we should keep America white and the only immigrants we need should be white. Racial tension is not the immigrants fault it’s the native the immigrants just want a better life for themselves s there family’s and that’s exactly what the first IMMIGRANTS that came to the US wanted

[@gethipped99]

Europa Man because that’s exactly what there ancestors did left there mainland to go a another for better opportunities

[@gethipped99]

Europa Man I’m not saying the us owes Nigeria anything but when Nigerians do come here we work as hard in not more than anyone else in this country. We contribute to society so why stop more of us from coming ? Not just Nigerians but other migrants also.

[@dukekenny9340]

Mr.Foams99 immigration is not right Nigerians have their own country.

[@RishyCupTV]

awesome!!!

[@--Paws--]

In New York city it is either a deli(catessen) or a bodega; both can be used unless specified. A superette is sometimes identified as either a bodega or deli, or a hybrid small supermarket.

[@matthewmann8969]

Some have competition with Puerto Ricans And Jamaicans

[@michaelduran3156]

There’s no more competition between Dominicans and Puerto Ricans that stopped years ago, just look for all the people that are mixed.. now Jamaicas in the other hand I didn’t even know there’s was an issue between them

[@Tryo707]

Talk about the Armenians, and focus on Glendale.

[@Acord718]

Ridgewood Queens too

[@David-yi1vo]

Yes! These videos never focus on ethnicities in Los Angeles! I also think they need to talk about the Iranian Jewish community in LA that basically own and operate all of Beverly Hills and Calabasas, arguably the most successful ethnic group in America especially for such a small population

[@nycricanpapi]

Dominicans bought the Bodegas from Puerto Ricans back in the days as many Puerto Ricans left NYC .

[@hardcandy7112]

Because of Cuban like Miguel Nacel in the early 70 starting selling the Bodega to the Dominican , he had the Bank loan to buy and start up and Dominican would work them till he owned it , Mr , Nacel , did these deal Hundreds of Time with the young growing Dominican Population in upper Manhattan and Brooklyn in the early 70 .

[@skyy5584]

All the stores are owned by Yemeni and arabic people.

[@oldacc8164]

Sohaib khan Maybe in Queens but not really Brooklyn or Washington Heights or Harlem or any other neighborhood with a lot of dominicans and it's half in half in the Lower East Side. Here in Brooklyn ( Williamsburg and South Side ) I've only seen like three middle eastern delis before .And all the others I've seen were Dominican. Graham st ( borinquen plaza ) too. And Bushwick. Y'all mainly have delis in Queens since I be seeing a ton of middle eastern corner stores over there and it's mainly middle easterns over there.

[@jhas839]

Yemeni is Arabic lol

[@jeffaholics2289]

Princesa_Almonte Nah Yemeni stores all up in Bed Stuy, Brownsville, and ENY. They been there too.

[@oldacc8164]

Jeff Aholics bedstuy , I feel like it's half and half because I see way more Dominicans in bedstuy than Yemenis there but at the same time I've only seen 2 Yemeni owned delis there and 1 Dominican owned and I haven't been to any other deli before. Idk about Brownsville or the other neighborhood you named bc I've never been there so I can't argue🤷🏻‍♀️

[@c4cutm656]

LeeLee Speaks nah Brooklyn has many corner stores owned by yeminis come to flatbush/bed stuy/ ENY they’re even in Greenpoint... I don’t kno bout Bushwick.. tho also Bay Ridge has a huge middle eastern population that’s where they mainly live along with Queens.

[@jainanan911]

I'm Dominican, bodegas are usually only in the hood, however the majority of the corner stores are not dominicans owned, they are owned by, the HABIBIS, YEMENIS!!!

[@EdwininfanteLeocadio]

I wouldn't say most. But yeah now a lot of Arabs are getting them but they're very different. But from the early 80s till like 10 years ago. Dominicans had the Bodegas and hardly anyone else had them.

[@oldacc8164]

Andy Jainanan you would defenitly find middle eastern delis in certain areas of Queens but you will defenitly not find any in Washington Heights because it's all Dominicans over there and you won't find any middle eastern delis in Brooklyn because they are all Dominican and in Brooklyn it's all Puerto Ricans and black people and Jewish people and polish people .

[@jainanan911]

@princesa_almonte I live in Washinginton Heights, that is why I stated what I had said. Middle eastern delis outnumber the dominican ones. You wont find dominican delis outside a dominican neighborhood, yet you'll find middle eastern delis way outside their neighborhoods and by the plenty.

[@duckydarkstar38]

Andy Jainanan yeah most bodegas are Yemeni.

[@jainanan911]

you wouldn't find a bodega outside a dominican neighborhood or outside "the hood." Bet your money that yemenis will be in whatever neighborhood you find!plus, the hood as well.

[@erickpalacios8904]

Bodega means warehouse or storage room in Spanish. Interesting to see the name given in NYC to these small grocer's shops, as they have different names all over Latin America.

[@mirelyscaromateo7419]

New york is life with the bodegas

[@kareemmahmoud5280]

The Egyptian diaspora in the US

[@shawtchurchjr]

Kareem Mahmoud arab you meant to say.

[@kris5885]

Glomo the ocks run the block in queens

[@MALIK-sx2qq]

Sir BigHead ummm no Egyptian are no Arab. speak Arabic due to colonization just like other Africans speak some European languages due to colonization

[@jessup0350]

TF I'am working in a bodega right know.

[@mickeymorgan]

ha!

[@bronxtours4193]

Her brother is a good man helping out family members is what I would also do ❤

[@mavhunter8753]

That is question I never asked myself, but it is interesting to know anyway.

[@mavericks2048]

I honestly hate seeing cats in these stores. just the other day I went to a bodega and bought some food. As I was waiting for my food to be made, I looked down and saw a cat was laying on a bag of food.....bruh

[@mavericks2048]

Oh Thanks i try

[@jeffaholics2289]

Roach Spray What’s wrong with the cats? Best part of the corner store lol

[@migueldelacruz5347]

You don’t like cats ...... it you live with roaches

[@MrApplehair]

Damn this guy is a snack

[@yiningfan4642]

I think there're a bunch of them in the Southside of Providence RI as well

[@Crayolapup]

Whats Wild, is that my Family actually kept the Deed for a Home that my Family got signed by Trujillo. From San Cristobal in the 1960’s.

[@shawtchurchjr]

They forgot about the cocaine that you can get if you go around back.

[@Grimmes12]

Sir BigHead and the illegal sports betting and Dominican lottery

[@jersonnolasco6026]

the Salvadoran population in the D.C. metro area!!

[@WateverWatever04]

"Lights up in Washington Heights.."

[@jjsquirdlesupastar3875]

Where else are you going to get a fantastic mangu egg cheese salami breakfast? Life is nothing without it.

[@Baddyusi]

Cover the Somalis in Minneapolis, they have established themselves there.

[@professionalhacker2834]

Y Garaad zxp hana cebenin somalida qabiilka business u ah halal meatka qabiilba wax loogu kala gataa?

[@sir.fuentes7642]

Bodegas were begun by the first Puerto Ricans that arrived in NYC almost 100 years ago. At that early time, there weren't many, if any people who spoke Spanish, let alone somewhere where they could find their food staples, spices and ingredients. They opened food stores that catered only to them selling food products they consumed. They called these stores Bodega which is a Spanish word for Cellar because this was the place where their food was stored and sold to their communities. In the early to mid 70's most of these Bodegas were sold and bought by Dominicans who were then beginning to arrive en masse to NYC.

[@tavroaar8173]

Dominicans have always had bodegas back in DR as well. That is also part of their culture and identity as well.

[@sir.fuentes7642]

@@tavroaar8173 not talking about DR. Talking about NYC 100 years ago.

[@JM-pn5nu]

The only reason for that is because out of all Latino groups, Puerto Ricans have always had the easiness of traveling back and forth between the U.S. and the Caribbean, not because Puerto Ricans are some kind of groundbreakers. "bodegas" or "colmados" are a staple part of Dominican culture where you buy your food and other needs, and then go party and get drunk at night, so naturally this translates to the diaspora. I don't understand why you Puerto Ricans always feel the need to come rain down on someone's parade and then complain as to why other Latinos don't consider ya'll real Latinos.

[@sir.fuentes7642]

@@JM-pn5nu Brother, the one with the inferiority complex abviously is you. What does having the ease of traveling to and from a place have anything to do with Puerto Ricans owning bodegas in NYC since the 1920's I might add? No raining on any one's parade here. And yes, they were ground breakers as you say in that respect. This was decades before any of you were here, so they were the ones who did it among many other "firsts". Also, there might be Colmados in the DR now that they call Bodegas, but that is a name that comes from NYC from Puerto Ricans way back in the day. It's NYC history. If you're in NYC visit El Museo del Barrio and learn something. Oh yeah, about the latino thing that goes where the sun don't shine.

[@JM-pn5nu]

@@sir.fuentes7642 The ease of travel has everything to do with it, all of the "firsts" Puerto Ricans were able to accomplish was because they have a U.S. passport. In the same way Puerto Ricans introduced salsa and merengue to gringos because they were able to move freely unlike other Latinos.

[@lovemimi2611]

Cats are a staple in bodegas because they are used to catch the mice and rats to prevent them from eating inventory

[@antnun3138]

Nothing like a sandwich, country club, banca 😈 ( iykyk) 💯 under one roof

[@IvanPlayStation4LiFe]

Lo mejor Bodegas. Dominican 4 LiFe baby.

[@migueldelacruz5347]

Bodega is a Puerto Rican term..... Dominicans call them colmados

[@migueldelacruz5347]

Starlin Peña good answer MMG

[@echa_caldo]

Exactly, hahaha these dumb in a cans came in the yesterdays P.Ricans have been in NYC for over 100 yrs and have over 5 generations and 3.4 million just in NYC so whoever wanna do the math and compare apples for apples dumb in a cans dont even come to the soles of the shoes to the Puertoricans in nothing and im italian born/raised in Brooklyn dumb in a cans werent heard of or felt. They eating the Puertoricans left overs the sloppy seconds and the cat food. I mean how old are these people making these comments 17-27 yrs old? What the fuk they would know some 10 yrs ago they were living with their parents so they only know what the currently seen or heard. They dont know the history hahaha

[@migueldelacruz5347]

William, I advise you stop commenting.... your not inteligente.... attempting insult people by posting... pay attention to the comments.... pay attention to the video. The property was first owned by the Jewish community. And Jews never sell.... If you William, say that Puerto Rican’s own and that others rent... you need to show proof... because now, you jut look like a envious moron....

[@lahoyatv5389]

William Digregorio Puerto Ricans can be here for 500 years, still poor

[@federicofernandez6386]

In the USA they’re bodegas and bodegas also sell way more stuff than colmados

[@mattadrev471]

Greta video, but I feel it could have been like 5 - 7 minutes and moved a lil quicker. That being said - I think we need a more in depth look at Bodega Cats - now there is a 20 min video in the making hahahaah

[@joeyo4163]

You should do one on Chicago's Mexican communities..a lot of Mexican owned businesses over there especially Little Village.

[@ChristianLopez-zs6ob]

well thanks to this video they guy housing homeless will probably get a visit from city inspectors...

[@felixgarcia9857]

Karen what are you talking about girl!

[@eios76]

Immigrants from Yemen own a lot of them too, so do immigrants from India, Korea, China...

[@exiverence]

I love bodegas. I usually can find more than what I'm looking for there.

[@leylannikennedy1059]

I was raised in the Bronx and it so true I can go to any block and theirs bodega and if I want anything like a country club soda I know where to go