Little Bodega

In the midst of great efforts to save our bodegas from 7-Eleven assimilation and destruction, miniature model artist Randy Hage sends in another of his masterful miniatures. This time it's the endangered species known as the New York bodega.


all photos: Randy Hage

Inspired by the R&R Deli Grocery, vanished from the corner of Albany and Pacific in Brooklyn, the mini bodega has it all. The crummy payphone and bubblegum machines (secured with a cinderblock) out front. The busted hand-painted sign loaded with a list of wares (BEER, MEAT, COFFEE). The window cluttered with junk ads for Mega Millions and menthol cigarettes. The sidewalk littered with dead leaves and trash.



Of course, it's what's inside that really makes the city's bodegas special.

As Randy says, "A chain store will never be able to foster the sense of community and meaningful friendships that a mom-and-pop type store can. In a busy city, it is the contact with people we know and care about that brings feelings of belonging. Community, diversity, and character are lost when the chain stores move in."

But if 7-Eleven gets its way, all we'll have left of the New York bodega are models and memories.



See more of Randy's work:
Model New York
Unreal Ideal Hosiery
Mini Mars Bar

Join the fight against 7-11:
No 7-11 on Facebook
No 7-11 on Twitter

And here's one more--with a quarter rolled in to show just how miniature this miniature is.