Field Trip :: Bodega

Written by Alyce Packard, BID candidate

I live 20 minutes away from Boston, I've been coming to the city since I was a kid and never have I had a shopping experience like I did today. Just finding Bodega is almost as fun as actually shopping there. Today I went there for the first time, I was excited. It felt like a scavenger hunt. I knew that Bodega was hidden, I'd heard about its secret and I still had a little trouble finding it. The average shopper would never even know where to look, even if they were standing right in the front part of the store.

photo from statigr.am

It's hard to find because there's no sign out front and the store is disguised to look like a run-down convenient store. I walked past the store the first time I saw it. I knew it was hidden but I didn't expect the disguise to be so well done. I felt like I was lost but I knew that the address was correct so I entered the store. The interior was what it seemed like from the outside, a convenient store. There were two people using their laptops at a table, and a person working behind the counter with the cash register. It was then that I noticed the Snapple machine.

What looks like an actual vending machine is really just a door that’s designed to look like a vending machine. This door slides to the left revealing the Bodega.

photos taken by Alyce Packard

Once you get past the amazing Snapple door, you enter the beautiful Bodega. The room is simple and classic. It is arranged like a library, everything clean, neat, and sharp. It’s a fun atmosphere, you feel like you're part of this really cool secret once your inside. I laughed when I stepped in and I must've looked really impressed because the guys working laughed when they saw how shocked I was. This is much more than a gimmick, the product that you get is high quality and the disguise is incredibly well done. If you haven't been yet, go. Even after reading this article you'll still have a surprising experience. Just like their clothing and shoes, Bodega is truly a unique gem. See if you can find it at 6 Clearway St., Boston.