Old Bodegas Never Die

COME WATCH ALL THE WORLD CUP GAMES HERE!, originally uploaded by ameliabee.

This used to be THE 24-hour bodega in Fort Greene. Some friends and I almost got shot there one night by a kid with a very short fuse yelling to everyone around him that "I'm Not Playin!!!"

I've only been in FG for ~8 years, so I can't claim to be much of an old timer, but even I knew that something died when this place closed (2 years back?). They were always nice to me during the year that this was my 6-pack store, and it was airy enough that it didn't stink like cat piss as much as some others. I once asked if my beer would ever be free, and they said it would be on my birthday. 6 months later I walked out with a free 6 pack of Brooklyn India Pale ale.

It's so sad to watch it sitting and rotting - although perhaps it would have been more crushing to see this immediately turn into yet another French restaurant or housewares store or gourmet market. In a way, its ghost now sits and scowls at all the miserable shit that goes on in FG these days.

Well, I'm sure its days are numbered. But for now, this is a beautiful picture. Lord knows what the World Cup scene was in there.