Our Story

Hello, I'm Eric Hopf and together with my vegan partner and our vegan daughter, I am working on opening Vegan Bodega, NYC's first and ONLY, all-vegan convenience store. An all-vegan convenience store? Yep, you heard right.  How is it that in the greatest city on earth, we still have to get our vegan specialty food via mail order?  How cool would it be to go to a store and get everything you need for a fancy vegan dinner party and junk food for the day after?  How much do you want to tell your friends in Portland that they no longer have anything on us?

We need your help to open Vegan Bodega. The big banks don't do start-ups, so we need your help. Show your support and help us show the credit union that this business is viable and you believe in it. What does help entail, you ask? Cold hard cash, PayPal, Credit cards, you get it. It can be $5 bucks, $10, $25, $50, however much you want to give. We aren't picky.  
 
The Impact

We're going to carry many of the local products you know and love, and help showcase new products. We will also carry some of those harder to find items that you have to mail-order for, saving you and the environment on shipping costs. Wouldn't you love to be able to walk into your local bodega and get fancy Field Roast cutlets for dinner that aren't sold at Whole Foods?  Maybe some vegan caviar?  How about some crazy good vegan tamales? Depending on the demand, we are looking at carrying beer and partnering with a Community Supported Agriculture farmer for fresh veggies and fruits.  However, we're not just food.  We'll stock vegan toiletries, household cleaners, *ahem* protection, etc.  Every vegan thing you wish you could get at your local bodega.

What We Need & What You Get

What do we need is $15k. That money will help pay for:
-securing the space and preparing it to open
-shelves
-a large refrigerator and freezer
-a computer system to track sales and stock
-a first order to fill the shelves for the soft opening.
 
If we are able to raise more than our goal, the extra money will be put towards buying a deli display case and a BRAND NEW meat slicer. I hear you asking, what does a vegan store need with a meat slicer? Well, it's so good of you to ask. We want to be the spot you come to for sliced cheese and meat analogs. The plan is to offer up, sliced by the quarter, half, whole pound, Daiya, Field Roast, Upton's Natural Seitan, and some others offerings we are working on.

In exchange for your donation (in addition to our undying gratitude, a feeling of hometown pride and the convenience of getting everything in one store where you don't have to worry about the ingredients) we also have some thank you gifts listed to your right.

Other Ways You Can Help

If you don't have money to donate, there is another way you can help. Tell your friends about this project! We aren't asking you to shout it from the rooftops, but we won't tell you that's a bad idea. Together, we can help open a place you can get most all of your shopping done and you won't have to read the labels.

If you have any suggestions or requests on what you love and want us to carry, please email us at store@veganbodega.com.

*Update* So many people have been interested and asking, Where will you open? or Please open in (insert your Borough or neighborhood here)! Vegan Bodega will be opening in Manhattan. We are presently looking at properties and planning to opening on the Lower East Side, but that could change. As more info is available, we will post it and keep you updated.