I love sneakers so of course I'm a bit biased on how awesome this shoe shop is. Loved the friendly and fun sales guys and the bubbly guy manning the front counter. Scored an amazing pair of Vans half cabs in a color I'd never seen before. Bodega is an absolute must for any sneaker heads out there. read more

Terrible customer service. Went my friend first time buying and only allowed to buy one pair per group

I've been to the store in person, and now, unfortunately, placed an order online. The in-person experience was fine, I'd give them 3 stars for their product selection, but not 4 stars due to pricing. But this review of 1 star is to help any future customers understand the reality of doing online business with a small, inexperienced online shop like Bodega. I got nothing against them, no reason not to root for them, as I like the product they offer. But at the end of the day, if you are going to put yourself online, you have to do a couple of basic things moderately well, those things are: 1. notify the customer that their order was placed 2. notify the customer when their order is shipping 3. be available for customer service Bodega hasn't, at this stage in the game, managed to take care of 2 of these 3 basics. My order was placed on a sunday and I got the standard email that says your order has gone through from angelique@bdgastore.com almost immediately, good start. So I check my email throughout monday expecting some type of notification that my order was shipping, being prepped for shipping, shipping provider, something. Nada. Fine, it's the holidays right? Maybe they are receiving a lot of orders. So I email angelique@bdgastore.com inquiring about the order, and asking whethr it would be possible for my buddy in Boston to swing by and just grab the stuff for me, this would even save them the shipping costs. No reply through middle of day Thursday, now 3.5 full days after the order was placed. So I check their site, no phone number. No way to contact them except about 5 emails, including one for shipping. I try emailing them all. several hours later I get an email from UPS that the order has shipped, and will be arriving a full week and a half later. Still no reply from anyone at Bodega to any of my emails. Bottom line, if you are not in a position to communicate with your online customers, you aren;t in a position to do online business. Take TurntableLab for example, same basic model just broader set of products and a longer history of figuring things out. Super responsive staff, good email and shipping communications, etc... Bodega, you gotta step ya game up, son. Just trying to look out for you, and wishing you luck, but no need for me to go down this road again until there's reason to believe you have taken steps to improve how this all works for your fans. read more

Yep, it's about time I speak up about this spot. I'm a fan. And here's why: a) Ain't no where else where you can pick up detergent and dope ass kicks in one trip. b) The owners are fresh, ambitious and kind. Support your local young entrepreneurs. c) The whole place oozes fun. Relax, read a mag or check out some art books. The staff is chill and helpful. And if they like you, might work something out on the price. d) Now that they've become established they are seriously diversifying their stock and getting in some really rare lines including some hot new Nike womens trainers for the spring. e) Admit it, that first time you walked through the sliding door you were impressed. Unique place to take visitors. Umm yeah, so I'll take those hot high tops first shelf on the left. Kthx. read more

Thanks to some Atlas Obscura reading on the plane, I found this cool little hidden gem. It is super low-key and off a side street. When you walk through the front random people look at you and then ignore you. If you follow the weed stained air to the back you will discover a high-end clothing and shoe store. This is probably the the hippest clothing store I have ever been to. Definitely worth checking out, especially if hip is your scene. Also a great place to snap some pictures for your friends. read more

Bodega - Shoe Stores Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

See all

I can't walk by Clearway St. and not peek my head inside Bodega. Lots of people think it's overrated, but I think it's pretty dope. Pros: -The faux convenience store front is brilliant, cool, and unique. It's refreshing to have an underground gem that runs off word-of-mouth rather than slapping their name and ads anywhere in sight like everyone else -The Women's section for sneaks is almost as big as the Men's, which is a rarity in any store that sells fresh apparel -The setup of the store is awesome. Beautiful bamboo floors, perfect lighting, high ceilings, and tons of sneaks sitting on wooden shelves covering the walls -Every Spring they have a ridiculous sale on their entire inventory at an off-site location. The first day of the sale, everything's 50% off. The second day, 60%. The third day, 70%, and so on and so forth. Pretty tight if you ask me Cons: -It does get obnoxiously crowded, especially on the weekends -They don't seem to re-stock their stuff very often. The most common sizes are frequently unavailable -A lot of their inventory is easily ruled out at first glance. I wish they'd carry more Jordan Retro II's and Supras for my guy, and more Vans and Creative Recreations for me -The prices are ridic, but that's out of their control. Fresh urban gear is pricey, whether we like it or not All in all, definitely worth checking out if you're around the area. **Note: They're closed on Tuesdays! read more

Ever had a hankering for bag of Cheetos and wanted to pick up the J's that just released in one stop? Maybe you wanted to cop those new Oxford Yeezy Boost and a few rolls of toilet paper? Well in Boston they got a store for you. Everything is not as it seems.... Bodega is killing the game with that hidden door concept! I'm Boston on vacation and heard about this store a while back, I had to make sure to stop in. Bodega is a must visit if you have any sort of interest in sneaker culture. This is one of the coolest boutiques I've ever been to because of the concept. The simple fact that you have to be in the know to know makes it even cooler. I was with my family and they didn't know I was taking them to a sneaker boutique, they were like "what do you need from here?" They even said the place looked closed until I opened the front door and walked in. I waited till everyone walked into the front part of the store before I stepped towards the Snapple machine. Then the hidden door opened and it was nice to experience the secret door the right way! Even though none of my family is really into sneaker culture they all loved the concept of the hidden entrance and bodega store front. The clothing was priced pretty similar to all street wear boutiques, the yelpers talking about sneaker prices being too expensive, should know they sell their shoes at retail. I didn't see any shoes priced above retail so I'm not sure if they used to bump the prices up on shoes or if those yelpers were just uninformed. All in all we had an awesome trip to Bodega and would recommend it for a fun stop if your shopping in the area. 5 stars because of the unique concept and because we were able to experience Bodega the right way! read more

Bodega - Just walk on in, be sure and grab something to drink, they have all sorts of Snapple options - Shoe Stores Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

In the back corner of this tiny, dirty, run down, signless convenience store, just past the canned soup, laundry detergent, and soft drinks, you'll find a Snapple vending machine. As you approach the vending machine, it will automatically slide to the left, revealing the entrance to the best kept secret in Boston: A high end sneaker store. This hidden sneaker heaven is hip, big, bright, loud, and everything else that would make it the very last thing you'd expect to find in the back of a dingy corner store. They sell rare, limited edition sneakers, street wear, and bags at a premium, displayed on beautiful dark wood shelving. Don't expect to get a lot of pressure to buy something. In fact, good luck figuring out who actually works there and who is just hanging out to be in the presence of and drool over the much sought after kicks. As I guess what would be (comparatively) a "sneaker noob", I didn't find anything worth dropping a couple hundred bucks on. Souvenir-wise, their "limited edition yo!" Bodega t-shirts go for 40 bucks. I stuck with a couple of stickers for $1.25. read more

I live on the same street as Bodega and despite my love of anything bright and obnoxious covering my feet and the fact that a lot of cute dudes work here, I refuse to walk in. I realize my entire bank account could be drained rather quickly if I did, but that's not my real beef here. As a resident on this street that was here before Bodega arrived, I'm not really keen on some of the side effects of its presence. I get it, you guys like the store and it's cool and the people are nice, but some of us live on this street. If you are going to Bodega, try to be considerate and aware of the fact that this street, despite being directly off Mass Ave, is actually mostly quiet and residential(ish). Don't park your massive SUV up on the sidewalk, it's illegal and people actually like using the sidewalk believe it or not. The clusters of broke-ass hipsters that block the sidewalk and shoot glares at the residents of the street annoy me to no end. Take your ironic mullet, white Ray-Ban Wayfarer knockoffs, and saran wrap jeans elsewhere, please, somewhere like Zappos.com. If you're on Yelp, chances are you're relatively cool, so don't upset the Clearway Street Zoo when you visit. Thanks! P.S. I've seen letters from the street's residents taped up on their front door. Is this their attempt to give the finger to the neighborhood or are they actually trying to get their customers to be courteous? I'm hoping for the latter. read more

Placed an order and a week later they cancel part of it without informing me. Without asking me what I want to do. Maybe I could have changed item for something else or give me option to cancel the order all together! They decided what is best for me. I do not want a partial order. They took my money for over a week then decided to cancel one main item on the order! Horrible. No reasons behind it either! Can not contact anyone either. No phone number available. Responding to your response. You are way faster at taking my money than refunding me. And the main issue I have is no one reached out to ask or inform of error. You arbitrarily decided what's best for me. You did not want to cancel the rest of the order as requested meanwhile it sat in you possession for days after my request. Those emails you provided are garbage as you do not read them and choose do what you want and Benefit you not what the customer wants. read more

Ok... the other reviews have most likely ruined it for you already... but I'll pretend you don't already know the big secret... It's a convenience store, right? Odds and ends of all types, just randomly placed... an amazing oddity of a window display... but DO NOT READ THE OTHER REVIEWS... just check it out... walk toward the "vending machines" and prepare to be utterly amazed. It was the best treat I'd had in a year ( I love surprises... just not surprise parties) read more

This place has the best toilet paper, douche, packs of gum and high energy drinks in Boston. The service is friendly and very attentive when trying to decide on the original or the hot in spicy pickle in a pouch. One of the gents that was working the register completely surprised me with a very charming and witty statement that really made me laugh and feel right at home. Unusual in bodega pretty much anywhere in the world. Overall, I rate this place as high as can be. One note of caution... stay away from the snapple. Shit is old and moldy. read more

I felt very disappointed with Bodega. When I went the staff up in the front were lacking any form of costumer service, being a new costumer one who has never been there before you think they'd be helpful especially in a store such as this were it is a confusing environment anyway. So for the actual retail all the stock is crazy over priced. I get that they are mostly independent brands but 90 dollars for shirts and 500 for jackets that are only kinda nice anyway common work with a brothah! There is a wide selection of shirts but they are clustered together and looking through them can be a real pain. As for shoes Vans Vans and you guessed it Vans which are cheaply made poser skate shoes and Tear with basically no Wear. So bad staff and overpriced clothes sorry bodega you lost a costumer here, I do wish you good luck because I love the idea of the store and you do have some great stock but not worth the cash. read more

Really unique retail experience - and fun to show people who haven't been. It's a great experience even if you don't buy anything. Thumbs up on the ghetto convenience store out front. And someone staffs it! Agree on avoiding weekends - it does get busy! It would be great to see a few things that are more "affordable" in stock. read more

I have never once had a bad experience at bdga. I don't know about yall but I'm a grown ass man, I can pick out my own clothes. I probably wouldn't love this place as much if I was greeted with "hello sir how are you today? Can i help you find anything?" That shit is fake. I hate fake. If I ever have questions these guys will 100% find me an answer or find someone who can help me out if they're busy. Never been thrown shade even once, never been scoffed at, but I've also never had an overinflated sense of self or extreme expectations of forced gratitude. If you don't 'get it' you should try to chill out. Despite what these busters are crying about, there's something here for everyone in all price ranges. Literally like $1.25 to $3000 and everywhere in between. If you have expensive tastes and can't afford it, blame yourself not the shop. They're providing exactly what they want to provide and if it's not for you move on I guess, but don't leave a scathing review of a place on the grounds that you don't have enough money to shop there. Childish. Dog is chill. Great coat of fur 10/10 looks like a well fed pup. read more

Oh, Bodega and it's funky sliding Snapple machine door! When my friend took me here, I was wondering why he brought me down a side street to some dark place with lots of detergent in the windows... You go in, and there are a few big guys there just hanging out. First thought : Um..skeeetch. Second thought, as you walk toward the Snapple machine, the door slides open, and you walk into a room with awesome shoes and a DJ, and you think "WOW". This is one of the cooler places to shop in Boston. You can only shop in chain department stores so much. It kind of feels like a sneakerhead speakeasy. Good selection of sneakers and streetwear that you probably won't find at other stores in Boston, so it's a place you should check out. ...even just to see the sliding Snapple machine door. read more

Bodega makes my secret inner love for childhood summertime, shooting hoops, italian ice and color coordination smile. The clothes and kicks make me melt. Affordable dunks even for the non neon fad fans. That's coming from a person who still wears white reebok lowtops, thank you very much. Ain't nothing wrong with that! (Interesting how everyone's vocabulary gets a little "ghetto" when they write a review for this place.) I just wish everything in the store was a bit grimier in the front. Why semi throw people off when you can REALLY throw them off, you know? One day I will go in there and just throw some chicken grease and dustballs from vaccum all over the stocked grocery goya items. Wait, note to self: Check to see if they have the bright orange price labels on stuff and a jamaican patty heat oven on the counter. That is key bodega style---okay that and looking hip like Pharrell. read more

This is an incredibly fresh, surprise store, streaming a convient store with a hidden surprise behind the soda machine. If your into the trendy shoes, styling, shirts, and a great crew of people. this is a must, MUST see store. More in the hip-hop, puma, nike, stylin crew of goods. I first it their store because they are to carry maharishi goods. Anyhow, they are really new, 5 weeks, and I've got a suspicion they might be exclusive in the future. read more

Bodega has got the best "sodas" in Boston! For reals, yo. Their soda machine is LEGIT! Really. That's all I can say. Just go try a soda. Get crazy and taste a couple of colors!.. I mean, flavors. It'll blow your mind. The soda machine is like some portal into another fly dimension, like if Hot Tub Time Machine were a hip hop video and we were all dancers on ABDC! No diggity. No doubt, baby. P.S. Shout out to my fave bartender, Lee! :) read more

I love a good shoe store but what I really don't like are arrogant attitudes. Although I love this place and have been here many times, the last time I was here, one staff member was just rude. I went to buy a specific shirt and it was a good thing, because if not, I probably would have walked right back out of that vending machine! I was placated by the service I received when checking out but ugh, if you work at Bodega, please don't cop a Newbury Street attitude. We love you because you are more at our level... read more

Almost too hip for its own good, the façade of a corner store yielding access to a treasure-trove of streetwear by way of a hidden door, Bodega ups the Sneaker Game of Bostonians in a big way with limited edition Adidas, Nike, Y3, Vans and more at a price that avoids upcharge over retail, aside from pieces that are discontinued or otherwise difficult to obtain. Obviously playing to its clientele, hammering hip-hop and cool-kid indifference from the staff, try not to take it personally - just focus on the product and tell them what you want. read more

See all

Total sham... used to be exclusive offerings, now offering shoes you can find in neighboring outlets. Have to pay $50 to get in, if you find nothing - they give store credit only. Tourist trap IMO and would tell friends to run the opposite way. read more

Placed a small online order from this business and waited 4 weeks for a shipping notification. After the long shipping delay, they notified me the order would be partially refunded as they didn't have have some items in stock. When I told them there was complications with the refund they began to ignore my emails. Terrible shipping time, even worse customer service and essentially stole money from me. read more

This is one of those stores thats more of an 'experience'. Somewhat like art galleries or any place of supreme talent and uniqueness. Regardless if you are among the underground hip hop/sneaker scene, Bodega is definitely among Bostons hottest hideaways, check it. (The secret entrance is brilliant, that alone is worth your visit) read more

Just moved here from California last week and when I heard of Bodega, I thought of home sweet home, San Francisco! Finally found it, walked in, and.. well honestly was disappointed. Way too much hype about it. The shoes were pretty nice, and I'm sure that they are exclusive and such.. but they look like anything you can pick up at a Shoe Palace or anything. Sick shirts, jackets, hats.. mediocre kicks. I'd rather check out UndergroundHipHop down Mass Ave and Huntington. Definately worth a look if your in the area no matter who you're with- good guys AND girls selection.. but don't be making a big ol' trip out for Bodega. read more

Placed a very simple online order 2 weeks ago now. Was very patient with shipping at first based on the holiday season... After some time I finally reached out regarding my order status they essentially told me to "just keep holding on." Do not order online unless you are prepared to wait months and attempt to deal with terrible customer service. read more

cool little hidden nook vibe secret spot store. i like the aesthetic here and the experience of shopping. i've never actually purchased anything here but i would still recommend checking it out! read more

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCF3ywukQYA First props to my girl Yi-Hwa for putting this youtube link on a thread last week. This video is the epitome of me and accounts for 80% of all that I live, work and breathe. Which brings me to Bodega - all I'm going to say is check it out. It's a store with a secret. What's that you ask? Can't tell ya, I don't want to ruin it for you. But if you are of a curious sort you will at least take a peep. If you are a sneaker head like moi, or just want a fresh pair of kicks that are hard to get you have to check it. I also think the gear is sick and also perfect for those that are looking for a piece that no one else has. It is a little difficult to find, hense it's appeal to me aside from it's "secret", and you will need to bring many $$'s. But well worth the trip. If you become a regular and get to know the owner - he's been know to give a little discount which I think is so cool! I love to shop, so if you are ever looking for a partner in crime, you know what to do. read more

My favorite boutique in all of New England. Can't find these concepts anywhere else. Everything I have from here has been well worth the price. The quality of their clothes and shoes is top notch. read more

Bodega holds a special place in my heart. I first set foot through its magical door way back in the back back, when it first opened. The staff is just as sweet and enthusiastic today. There used to be dudes in sick shoes chilling in the actual bodega who told me they loved me... haven't seen them in a while. For the few months when I was into sneakers, Bodega was glorious. Then I stopped wearing leather. However, there's still cool women's wear for when I'm in that kind of mood, and they carry Bijules jewelry, which makes me a happy girl. Art books are sick and my buddy buys all his spray paint here. He tagged my bedroom wall with my name, which gives Bodega a kind of transitive-property, demi-permanent place in my life. Oh, by the way, has anybody else seen that episode of My Super Sweet 16 when the girl bought sneakers here? It made me want to kill myself. Love the stickers. read more

As soon as I heard about this place I knew I had to go. Something like this in boston? We need more stuff like this here. Yea it's gimmicky, but you have to give them credit. It's a very clever way to get Newbury street traffic without the rent price. They didn't really seem to be trying ot ide it that much. You could tell something was weird just from the people sitting in the bodgea part with laptops playing music. Not the normal bodega atmosphere. But who cares? It was still neat. read more

Loving the novelty of this place. Fake storefront with a secret entrance to the real store, cool. This was going to be a big surprise for me, but instead of letting Jeff find the secret button, they just opened the door. Maybe the pseudo hipster lumberjack look made him seem like a regular, but finding that button was the only reason he wanted to go, so that was disappointing for him. Once we were in the store, it was my turn to have some fun. Shoes! But the space was so small, selection, especially for women, was very limited. Do not think those $$$ are an exaggeration. I can understand the high price point on sneakers, but you've got to be out your damn mind charging stupid money for a plain tee-shirt that just has 'Bodega' printed on it. read more

I come here to buy dope soda nuff said read more

Okay so... I finally did it. I faced the fear of rejection by Snapple machine. I crossed that glowing tea threshold into hip hop shoe paradise. My friend laughed at me when I told him where I going- "Haha! You're gonna be that awkward white girl in Bodega." He also gave me his sizes and a $150 budget to buy him anything I wanted for him. Apparently even a white girl can't mess this stuff up. As I walked up to the dingy convenience store exterior, 3 giant dudes in baggy clothes walked out. I suddenly felt very small... And very white. However, the inside was friendly and glowing and bigger than I imagined. Soft hip hop music played. It was packed because of the 50% off sale but the patrons were polite and I like my shoe stores like that. I'm a slow shopper and no one pressures you to buy when it's so crazy busy. I didn't buy anything. I guess I just can't pull off neon-colored high tops and those Vans slip-ons make my feet look fat. I was wearing an Ed Hardy sweatshirt with a big lion's face on the back and on my way out, an employee on his laptop growled at me. At first I thought he was mad about something, but I've decided it was actually a compliment. I'll take it. And Bodega, I'll take you. read more

Definitely a cool concept. The fact that they have a secret entrance is worth the trip in itself. And if you're as obsessed about your kicks as I am, Bodega is a must. Unfortunately you're also going to be dropping a couple hundred bills easy if you're looking to purchase. However, whether you shop at Bodega or any other sneaker boutique, you're gonna be paying a premium for these goods. They carry the basics: Nikes, Adidas, Puma, etc. I did notice they don't have Nike SB's or Jordan's, but that may have changed as I haven't been since they opened. They also have a clothing selection comparable to Karmaloop. The employees are very helpful and friendly. Much better than most other urban stores where they just ignore your ass. The addition of Bodega adds a much needed urban boutique presence to Boston. You can already see the trend starting in Allston/Brighton. PS: If you have no interest in premium kicks whatsoever and are dragged to this store because someone you know keeps their Nikes "lickable" (uh hum), there's a stack of urban art magazines and books in the corner. read more

Prior to coming here, I did not realize it was possible to get my mind blown by a shoe store. Well...MIND. BLOWN. I actually wish these other reviews did not reveal the secret entrance...it's almost a rite of passage. I loved the selection they have. They are somewhat limited in the sizings but it seems like they have a high turnover so I'll stop by again next month and see if they have any other awesome kicks. read more

No my review isn't off. People don't leave bad reviews unless they've been taken advantage of. Keep trying to deflect for your shady business practices though "Billy B. of Bodega." The issue is not your store policies, but lack of transparency. Shop at your own risk people because shopping at Bodega in Boston is a scam. read more

I was disappointed in the experience. I was excited to go there for the initial experience and then see the hidden backroom. We walked into a nameless, fake dingy convenience store, and 2 men behind a counter pressed a button and the large Snapple door slid open fast, leading into the sneaker store. The experience was dull. We get in there. The shoes are highly-priced, beyond what can be found in other "boku" locations and online. For such a whack experience, it's not worth paying all that money, in my opinion. The reps on the floor were not friendly, just had a stone-cold look. A friend had mentioned to me, they're selective in allowing only certain folks/look through the hidden door. I am a sneaker-head, I just don't feel the need to spend money excessively on a product. Not impressed. It was all aite. read more

Classy and dope! Went last May '12 and have to say its one of the best places (+Armageddon Records) that I visited on my Boston trips. Actually this visit was my second one, the first time (Dec '11) I didn't really checked the store well because got soaked wet from a heavy rain when my buddie and I were walking to the store, so basically just looked around and didn't touched nothing worry of messing something. Before my 2nd visit I placed an online-order from their webstore, and since I was about to visit Boston 2 weeks later requested if I could do an instore pick-up instead of being shipped, and them said "yes". This time I did checked the store well, and it was different also; been reading about the cold drinks machine door over and over, and how cool it is, well this time I found out with my own eyes (since 1st time was worry of my wet-ness), when it opened felt like a kid, it was a feeling mix of watching Merry Poppins and Back To The Future for first time -word! Goods at store = on point, great brands and quality, as well house-brand "BODEGA". Some reviewers here complained about costumer care... well, I can't understand. From my experience it is right, I like a place where I can see and touch the things them carry, and I did it here, or ask for something and get a decent response, which I got here; didn't saw any arrogance that's typical at streetwear boutiques or that "if you're not buying something leave" look stares, and thanks for that Bodega. Also I have to say that time Bodega had pretty ladies on the floor (props), shout out to them and thanks to Angie for the help on my order, great costumer service. My next visit I will bring a Puerto Rican coffee can for their decoration. read more

Cool concept! A friend we were visiting told us about this place - it sounded neat so we adventured. This area of Boston was much different than downtown/Beacon hill area. Hipster vibes. So, you show up and it looks like a old convenience store. I felt cool asking the guy behind the counter "i hear you have some shoes...". We go to the side of the counter and this door auto opens up to this modern, boutiquey, clean shop with shoes, clothing and some accessories. They had some sweet kicks and it was fun to check it out. Speakeasy for shoes - rad! read more

Bodega - Store front - Shoe Stores Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts