Three public dates are on the calendar: the r/bodega pop-up featuring r/bodegacats, a Bodega Cats of New York slideshow and talk at the City Reliquary, and a National Cat Day talk at Brooklyn Public Library.
Reddit r/bodega community pop-up
- August 29 and 30, 2026
- 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM both days
- 213 Bowery, Manhattan
Reddit is turning a Bowery storefront into its first IRL pop-up. r/bodegacats will have its own section inside the build, and the public is invited. Admission is free, but you need a Reddit account to enter.
Every attendee gets a Snoo plushie. Reddit also lists totes, mugs, stickers, postcards, cold drinks, special deli-counter items, and Meowdani, the event’s official bodega cat. On Sunday, August 30, anything left in the build will be free for attendees to take home from 9:00 to 10:00 PM.
Read the Culture story with the full event details.
See the public r/bodega details on Reddit.
Bodega Cats of New York at the City Reliquary
- Friday, September 4, 2026
- First Friday runs 7:00 to 10:00 PM; the talk starts at 7:30 PM
- 370 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn
I’ll share a pre-release slideshow drawn from the archive behind the book, then take questions from the audience. The slides will stay up for the rest of the evening. Entry is free, and the RSVP link is not live yet.
Visit the City Reliquary site.
Bodega Cats of New York at Brooklyn Public Library
- Thursday, October 29, 2026
- 6:00 to 7:30 PM
- Central Library, Information Commons Lab
- 10 Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn
I’ll share stories from the book, how I got to know the cats and the people behind the counter, and what it took to make the book with photographer Gulce Kilkis. The program is open to the public, and the room has 55 seats.
The book publishes five days later, on November 3. Preorder Bodega Cats of New York or get event updates.
New book coverage
Three outlets published new stories about the book this month:
- Colossal looks inside Bodega Cats of New York
- Brooklyn Eagle: Brooklyn bodega cats to be featured in new book
- PetaPixel: Photographer Captures the Working Bodega Cats of New York City
More bookstore dates are being worked out. I’ll post each one after the store confirms that customers can attend and gives us the public time.
Related stories
See the official cover, finished interior spreads, trailer, and a look at how Bodega Cats of New York was made.
On June 25, 2026, I joined Untapped New York for a virtual talk about the BCNY archive, the book, and the current City Council bill.
English-language newspaper archives show little coverage of bodega cats before 2007, though Spanish-language and photographic collections may hold more.
Published August 10, 2026
Back to Stories