Or, as we call them here, convenience stores. Does anyone outside of NYC call them bodegas?

I want to hear about yours. Do you have a local that you always go to? Are you on a first name basis with the clerk there? Or does the one closest to you lack in your favorites conveniences and snacks, thus forcing you to have a list of other go-tos in your area? What's the floor plan like? Any weird, cool things going on in there? My local has a handwritten sign on the soda machine that says " drinks + ice are not free. nothing is free," and I've taken that mantra along with me into the rest of my day many a time.

I call them “gas stations”

C-stores gets thrown around a lot around here too. One near me even has that as their official signage.

Most well respected convenience stores around here have a taqueria window or taco truck parked out front, but having been to NYC recently, I can tell you that even the greasiest of chorizo breakfast tacos and salsa verde is no match for the stacked sandwich offerings up north. I'll take our Zapp's Chips and Rap Snacks over Utz chips most days, though, unless we're talking Utz crab chips.

i miss my nyc bodega on columbus and 74th...carlos and his wife inez made the best breakfast sandwich..the toilet paper was next to the cat food

This is what I'm talking about.

I like the Hollywood Food Store near me, next to the ice house. The woman who works there is always on skype to her relatives when you go to pay. Nobody knows her name. Everyone just refers to her as "the lady." She was open during Hurricane Harvey when no one else was and she never ran out of ice. You can buy imported cigars there but I wouldn't. Her most expensive Zinfandel is $12 a bottle.

when we had the big blackout in 2003 they were the first place i went to get stuff..hottest day of the year..bought about 6 pre made sandwiches before they were all gone..they only let 2 people in a time and it was cash only that day

That's what it's all about.

i also had a full kegerator at that time so it was quite the street party that night

What's the deal with those citrus filled shrines in front of a lot of these stores?

not sure what you mean

Mine always smells like shit, the gas pumps never work and the beer is 2 months past the "sell by" date.

But at least there's always tons of broken glass in the parking lot.

i'd like to discuss bodega cats too..theirs would always sit on the stack of daily papers

Is this not a common thing?

hmm..not in my neighborhood

The Mexican Jesus candle endcap is fairly common here.

I kinda love it, actually.

#southwest4life

Yes!

We call them gas stations. I often stop at one on my way to work in the morning to pick up a breakfast burrito because they're OK. I don't like the employees. They yell 'good morning' like they don't give a shit in this loud obnoxious tone and they could care less if you reply, they dont' try to make eye contact or anything. They do it cause they're supposed to. Also, when you check out, they always say, in the same obnoxious, don't give a shit tone, 'GOT WHATCHOO NEED?!' ... I don't reply to this, either, sometimes. When I do I just kinda nod or say "yup" under my breath. It's so stupid. Then as you're leaving they say 'don't forget your points!'... I shake my head slowly as I sigh and am so relieved to be leaving every time.

missouri sounds horrible