The up-and-coming entrepreneur said his business will serve as a one-stop for students and professionals at nearly any time of day. That idea \u2014 reinforced by daily hours from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. \u2014 is what sets a New York City bodega apart from a run-of-the-mill convenience store.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the ability to come in and get everything you need in one spot,\u201d Mozeb, a Brooklyn native, told the Centre Daily Times. \u201cStudents might stop to get a coffee, their water for the day, their breakfast or maybe an energy drink if they were studying all night. A pack of gum or late-night dinners, you\u2019ve got it. If you need it, we have it.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/BrooklynBodega3_2026.jpeg\" "\\"BrooklynBodega3_2026\\"")
A look inside Brooklyn Bodega, a New York City-style convenience store opening soon at 340 E. College Ave. in State College. Matt DiSanto mdisanto@centredaily.com <\/p>\n
Brooklyn Bodega\u2019s menu will feature a wide range of breakfast options, including breakfast sandwiches and wraps, bagels and pancakes and waffles. Lunch and dinner options will include deli sandwiches, cheesesteaks, quesadillas and the famous chopped cheese<\/a>, a bodega staple. Customers can quench their thirst with a full lineup of coffee options, plus smoothies and milkshakes.<\/p>\n Boar\u2019s Head cold cuts and cheeses are expected to be available by the slice. Convenience store shelves will offer popular snacks and drinks, as well as staple groceries like milk and eggs.<\/p>\n Cooks straight from New York will work behind Brooklyn Bodega\u2019s counters, according to Mozeb, who said it\u2019s critical to staff the store with employees who hold intimate knowledge of how a real bodega operates. The shop is actively looking for hired help, including students, through emails sent to contact@brooklynbodega.net<\/a>.<\/p>\n Renovating the space<\/p>\n Anyone who walks through Brooklyn Bodega\u2019s doors will have a hard time recognizing its interior.<\/p>\n Mozeb\u2019s team has significantly remodeled the space with modern furniture and fixtures, brightening up what was once the darker dining room of HiWay Pizza Pub that closed in 2023. He said providing ample seating was a key focus in transferring his bodega concept to Happy Valley.<\/p>\n \u201cHere, you can come in, hang out, grab some food and get your work done. We wanted to accommodate lots of people,\u201d Mozeb said. \u201cSometimes, in New York, there\u2019s not a lot of seating because things can move at a much faster pace. Here, it\u2019s different. You can take the time to eat and get your work done.\u201d<\/p>\n The location should lend itself to significant foot traffic on the corner of East College Avenue and Hiester Street, Mozeb said. The bodega sits right across from a bus stop and Atherton Hall, home to Penn State\u2019s Schreyer Honors College.<\/p>\n Business is undoubtedly booming on that block, largely thanks to this summer\u2019s \u201cEast End Social\u201d initiative<\/a> and new businesses like The Press Cider and Craft Beverage Taphouse<\/a>, Manny\u2019s Live Performance Space<\/a> and the in-development Backstage Brewdio<\/a>. The block has undergone significant changes since the Centre Daily Times first reported Brooklyn Bodega\u2019s intentions to open there<\/a> back in March 2025.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s always a good sign to see other businesses open up next to you,\u201d Mozeb said. \u201cWith so much happening nearby, you know you\u2019ve got a good location.\u201d<\/p>\n Preparing to open<\/p>\n Brooklyn Bodega will mark Mozeb\u2019s first foray in the industry outside the Big Apple. He proudly grew up in the \u201cbodega business\u201d and learned the ropes while working in his family\u2019s shops and studying at Baruch College.<\/p>\n Mozeb first visited State College years ago while meeting up with friends who studied at Penn State. He felt the area was missing a bodega-style deli \u2014 and more affordable food \u2014 but didn\u2019t consider bringing his business to central Pennsylvania until he saw a prime piece of College Avenue real estate up for grabs.<\/p>\n Now a graduate living in the State College area, Mozeb said he\u2019s excited to chart his own course.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been my vision. A lot of people [in my family] don\u2019t always see the vision that I see. I think it\u2019s mainly the older crowd,\u201d Mozeb said. \u201cAnyone I talk to who has lived in the dorms or spent time near a college campus, they see the vision and like the idea. They know. I see the vision, and I think that\u2019s the important thing.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Plentiful](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/BrooklynBodega2_2026.jpeg\" "\\"BrooklynBodega2_2026\\"")
Plentiful seating is available inside Brooklyn Bodega, opening soon at 340 E. College Ave. in State College. Matt DiSanto mdisanto@centredaily.com <\/p>\n![\"Brooklyn](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/BrooklynBodegaOutside1.jpeg\" "\\"BrooklynBodegaOutside1\\"")
Brooklyn Bodega Deli & Grill will open soon at 340 E. College Ave. in State College. Matt DiSanto mdisanto@centredaily.com <\/p>\n