For The Brownstone:
Thank you! Can you tell I lived on horror stories as a child? Not to mention my fondness for beautiful old buildings.
Bodegas are the New York equivalent of a corner shop as found in less trendy areas. They tend to have a bit of everything, with a strong concentration on beers, malt liquors and cigarettes. It's the sort of place you might go to for a coffee in the morning, and a pre-sliced, pre-buttered bread roll wrapped in cling wrap. They don't have an extensive assortment of products, and the pickings can be slim for things like fresh produce, but they tend to have more of a neighborhood feel, if you will.