Prince came with the shop when ownership changed. He has been there longer than the current owner. Twelve years at his post.
He once killed two birds in front of witnesses, then walked back inside and went to sleep like nothing happened. Regulars still talk about it. The story gets retold at the counter with the same cadence every time, the details slightly different depending on who is telling it.
Every day he walks next door for cheese from the pizza guys. Knows the routine. They know his. Nobody arranged this. It just became the schedule.
Prince was featured in the New York Times. That did not change anything about the way he operates. He does not care what you think of him. He does not perform for cameras. He does not adjust his behavior for strangers. He has been in the same spot for over a decade, watching the same block turn over around him. Rents went up. Neighbors moved. Storefronts changed. Prince stayed.
Twelve years is a long time in a city that replaces things constantly. Most restaurants do not last twelve years. Some buildings do not. Prince has outlasted awnings, leases, and entire neighborhood identities.
He is not trying to be memorable. He is just still here.
From the StoriesPrince's story appears in Bodega Cats of New York, out this fall.
Published October 26, 2025
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