New Yorkers will put up with a lot – but don’t blaspheme the bodegas

Bodeguero Frank Marte, left, helps a customer with her purchase. Bodegas, as the corner stores are known, are a part of New York culture. Photograph: Kathy Willens/AP

A piece of advice for anyone considering a move to New York: don’t mess with bodegas.

The celebrated stores – which vary widely but generally function as convenience stores, delis, food markets and coffee shops – have been a city staple for decades, inspiring unwavering loyalty from locals: “If you’re not cool with your corner store guy, you’re not from New York,” as one worker told NPR.