BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — As Hispanic Heritage Month wraps up, a new grocery store on Buffalo's East Side is working to make culture, tradition and community a priority year-round.
La Casa de Mama Bodega, which opened in May at 975 Broadway, is more than a place to pick up groceries. Owner Suheiri Rodriguez hopes it will become a gathering place where people can find food, connect with neighbors and celebrate Dominican and Puerto Rican heritage.
“We are hoping to be a hub and a family location for years to come,” Rodriguez said.
The bodega's name reflects that mission. Rodriguez said she wanted to create a place that feels like home, where people can find a meal and a welcoming environment.
“If you have nowhere to go or nowhere to eat, where would you go? You are going to go to La Casa de Mama,” Rodriguez said. “You are going to go to mom’s house, your grandma’s house. Either way, this is the place that you can go to where you can eat, whether you have a dollar or not.”
The store serves up Dominican and Puerto Rican flavors, with pastelitos and quesitos among its staples. Beyond the food, Rodriguez said the bodega offers toys, candies and hot meals, along with music and space for customers to play dominoes and spend time together.
“It is literally the hub,” she said.
WATCH: Buffalo's East Side La Casa de Mama Bodega putting Latino culture at heart of community
Rodriguez's efforts to celebrate Latino culture have also earned her recognition beyond the neighborhood. She was featured in the fall edition of Latinas Evolving magazine, a Buffalo-based platform that highlights Latino stories and supports the community.
Founder Tayrin Tapia said sharing those stories helps build connections and strengthen representation.
“Together and showing that united front, we are making more of an impact,” Tapia said.
For Tapia, the magazine is an opportunity for readers to discover people and businesses within their own community that they may not have known about before.
“It speaks for itself when other individuals say, ‘Wow, I look at this magazine, and I didn’t even know any of them in the magazine,’” Tapia said. “Which is great, because now I get to know them, who are also a part of our community.”
As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, Tapia said celebrating Latino heritage should extend beyond the annual observance.
“Although we are highlighted for such a short period of time, we don’t go away the rest of the 11 months,” she said. “So we need to be able to highlight our heritage.”
At La Casa de Mama Bodega, Rodriguez is working to make that celebration part of everyday life, one meal and one community connection at a time.
