Besides its neighbors who seek those specialty foods or the company in a bodega, J.F. Grocery has a few other regular customers. Some are so regular, they're ignored. During lunch hour on a recent week day, nobody pays any attention to a street vendor selling knives. Nobody, except Rodriguez, the construction worker. His humor is lost on the vendor, who leaves without making a sale, and without interrupting the beat of the people gathered in the front, chatting and laughing.
Cats are a frequent sight in bodegas.
Owners say they keep the mice population under control. I've been coming here nearly every day for 25 years. I go to Pathmark for certain things, but I come here for sandwiches, washing powders, bleaches, soda, cat food.