[Lee Stewart]

New York City's bodegas, the pedestrian-friendly, mom-and-pop answer to convenience stores, sell staples like snacks, basic groceries, and household supplies. Most are open 24 hours a day, and there are more than 10,000 of them spread between the Big Apple's five boroughs. Many have cats to keep stores free of mice and other pests, despite the fact that these feline proprietors are probably illegal.