Circle A

I appretiate the convenience of inner-​city bodegas, but Circle A is at the bottom of my pile. As with most bodegas, Circle A seems to be primarily a dispensary for cigarillos, malt liquor, lottery ticket & potato chips. Not exactly local economy staples. Nevertheless they DO have other products, though not nearly in the same quantities as the aforementioned items.
One will find junk food, pop, dry packaged food, canned goods & misc. household sundries for sale. And lots of incense. LOTS of incense. Pricing is the typical expected ghetto tax. Roughly 25% to 50% higher than at a grocery store in a middle class or more affluent area.
Crime is a problem in front of Circle A. I’ve witnessed many police visits to the loitering patrons out front as well as dozens of domestic spats, littering violations & general verbal crudeness. It is also a dangerous corner for driving given the propensity for jaywalking by patrons.
Probably the only highlight are earlyish hours that are convenient for those of us with gainful employment that begins at 8am.
Bodegas such as Circle A are clearly a vestige from a time that OTR is passing on from. Overcharging for garbage few need will be a business model that diminishes in effectiveness. I look forward to a time when the police runs and littering around bodegas of OTR are a thing of the past.

I visited this place to buy some gag gift swisher sweets, ha ha. The counter if I recall, was really high, almost neck level, may have been an old pharmacy. What’s with those pharmacists and their raised platforms anyways? If you are on Main st. and need some random items, check this place out.