I was overjoyed back in April when I wrote about Family Foods Market removing their security partition. I nearly cried when I walked in on Friday and saw the security partition had returned. I spoke with one of the cashiers and she couldn’t exactly explain why the partition returned. She said something about the customers telling her that it should return but I find that very hard to believe. She did mention that there are some kids that throw things and such when they get angry which is very unsettling. But I’m so sad that they didn’t feel safe enough to keep the partition removed. I’m sure if I had to walk a mile in their shoes I’d feel differently. I’m just saying that was like a super tease, removing it for a month and then putting it back up. Damn!

It is amazing how much better these bodegas look without the bullet proof glass. Pictured here is Bisrat Mekuria, owner of the Family Foods Market, located on New Hampshire Ave., right across the street from the Petworth metro. I give him mad props for having the courage to take down the bullet proof glass. I’m totally stoked. It feels so much more human. I wish him much safety and success.

I’ve seen signs for ice cold beer sure. But cool beer? Well, that is too cool.

I’ve never seen one of these corner stores advertising “Fresh Vegetables”. Nice, that’s a very good thing… as is cold beer and wine for the record.

Check it out, you can now get 4 packs. Where there is a will there is way.

Have you ever noticed that there is a bus that comes to 11th Street in Columbia Heights and goes straight to AC? I kind of feel like that is awesome. But then I have visions of the elderly sitting behind slot machines and losing lots of dough…

Hold on I have to stop laughing for a second. Ok, this is a photo from my local bodega in Petworth (from the cell phone, c’mon I can’t always have my camera on me). At any rate, I was stunned and overjoyed to see that they were selling the traditional kosher wine Manischewitz. Manischewitz is the sickly sweet wine that every Jewish boy and girl knows all too well. Why it is being sold in Petworth that probably has a .05% Jewish population is beyond me. But the mere thought of someone slugging Manischewitz on the side of the road is simply beautiful. And a bit sad. I think this may be the only bottle of Manischewitz in the world that is located behind two inches of bulletproof glass…Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some Manischewitz to drink.

Thanks to Gillian for alerting me to the snazzy new sign at the bodega on 5th and Shepherd. There is also a new sign for an atm machine. Good to know. Plus now you can get coffee there if you need your fix in a hurry.