This week, we’re talking bodegas. What’s a bodega? Well, for a lot of us (New Yorkers, especially), it’s a corner store that sells food and other household goods. But for our guest, Quizayra Gonzalez – who grew up in a bodega – they’re a lot more than that. She and Stephanie talk about how bodegas are such a thriving nexus of cultural and economic activity, how they anchored immigrant communities in the U.S., and how they’re being gentrified out of their neighborhoods today. But first, Stephanie and Juan recap his epic trip to Mexico, which sparked the inevitable conversation about one of the worst books ever written.

Produced by Juan Ramirez and Stephanie Kuo. Music by Brad Turner and Blue Dot Sessions. Photo by Stephanie Nortiz.

LINKS DU JOUR

• Connecting at the Counter by Quizayra Gonzalez (Urban Omnibus)

• En La Bodega by Quizayra Gonzalez (La Galería)

• New York City Bodegas And The Generations Who Love Them by Hansi Lo Wang (NPR Code Switch)