St. Cloud Family Opens Neighborhood Bodega On East St. Germain Street

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- A new place to grab some snacks and other essentials is coming to St. Cloud's East End.

St. G's Bodega will be at 415 East St. Germain Street.

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Marla Waseka owns the building and will operate the community grocery store with her two daughters. The term Bodega is common in urban places like New York City and basically means a small family-owned store or neighborhood convenience shop.

It's kind of a gathering space for the neighborhood.  People are welcome to post neighborhood events that are going on.  It's going to provide some basic grocery items, personal care, and household items.

She says they want the store to change and evolve as they get feedback from customers and neighbors.

What we are creating here is an urban village, which is a place where everything is provided for the residents in the neighborhood.  There are services for them; there are shops, restaurants, and bars.  So eventually we could become a little self-sufficient neighborhood of our own.

St. G's Bodega will have four tables and chairs in the front by the windows for people to sit and gather. Eventually they'll offer some prepacked sandwiches and other grab-and-go foods, lunches, etc.

The Old Dutch Maid Bakery awning may also be brought out of storage and repurposed in some way in the bread aisle. Waseka says she plans to keep the vibe of a 1920s-era grocery store feel.

St. G's Bodega/Jim Maurice

They plan to have the store open for business in time for Festi-Fall on Sunday, September 20th.

The St. Cloud City Council approved their tobacco license on Monday night.

Maddie Waseka opened The Kitchentte next door to St. G's Bodega a year ago on Festi-Fall weekend.

Earlier this year, Marla Waseka bought the former Ace Bar building with plans to renovate that and reopen it as a bar and restaurant in the next few years.