The Age of Bodega Bags

By Nina Hanz

In New York City, almost every street has a bodega. Elsewhere, one might call them a corner store, but not in New York. Meaning ‘storeroom’ in Spanish, the neighbourhood businesses rose to popularity in the 1940s and 1950s, when daily runs to the bodega for groceries became a ritual. Remaining open long after normal supermarkets close, bodegas are still a symbol of New York – along with the bag of snacks and lottery tickets you can buy there.

These take-out bags have become such an iconic part of the New York lifestyle, that they are now being commemorated by fashion designers. This comes at an interesting time in fashion, one where more emphasis is put practicality, as seen with the trends celebrating athleisure, chunky sneakers and even kitten heels. It might not be the obvious style choice, but the plastic bodega bags seem to work for the corner

shop consumers, so why change what already works? This was precisely the idea behind the eponymous American handbag brand Gelareh Mizrahi, who made the ‘Thank You Bodega Bags’ in holographic, clear and python variations. The added benefit of these designer bodega bags is that they are a long listing and plastic-free alternative, while also sporting a more relaxed alternative to the conventional tote bag.

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