Library & Archives Lunch Hour: Johnny Torres Papers

02-11-2025

If you love NYC Bodegas, grab your favorite order and join CENTRO Archivist, Herbert Duran, during lunch as he explores the Johnny Torres papers housed at CENTRO.

Torres was a former businessman and president of the Metropolitan Spanish Merchants Association, also known as La Metro. After successfully running several bodegas, Torres became a food wholesaler and provided support to bodega owners. His work helped bring millions of dollars in revenue to Hispanic food retailers, and he provided practical advice to small business owners paveing the way for prosperity for many of the bodegas in the tri-state area.

Whether it’s ham and cheese on a roll with an orange drink, a chopped cheese, or a BEC with extra bacon, tune in to learn about the person who played a key role in making Bodega’s synonymous with NYC culture.