Steps from Newbury Street and the Christian Science Plaza in downtown Boston is an unassuming bodega, with toilet paper stacked in the windows and coolers full of water and pop. But inside, a metal door slides open to reveal a hidden streetwear emporium, stocked with North Face’s Purple label, Acronym, Ms. Claw, and Schwipe, as well as the usual crop of special releases from Nike, Puma, and Adidas. This is Bodega, opened in May 2006 by Jay Gordon, Dan N., and Oliver Mak, a trio obsessed with secret societies and cults, records, and listening to digitized tapes of the Stretch & Bobbito radio show (check konstantkontakt.blogspot.com). We caught up with Mr. Mak–sippin’ on “shorty juice” and still recovering from the melee caused by the Vans x Simpsons release (which sold out in 20 minutes)–and asked him what’s hot in Beantown.

Bodega is at 6 Clearway St., Boston.

Hearthrob DVD ($10)
Hearthrob is one of the best parties on the east Coast right now and it’s right here in Boston! Redd Foxx, Baltimoroder, Morgan louis, and company drop original edits and bring top talent to this bi-monthly banger, which gives revolver and Misshapes a run for their money. A true face-melter for all seasons.

Kenji Nakayama
Photographs of Kenji’s pieces rarely do them justice. Ranging from installation to canvas work, Kenji’s ominous visuals are the product of hundreds of had-cut stencil layers. His art hits street-art fetishists and city dwellers on an emotional level.

If Pursuit Bike ($10,000)
Handcrafted in Somerville, MA, independent Fabrication’s are some of the finest concept bikes in the world. The bike pictured, which is on display at Bodega, was voted “Best Track Bike in the World” according to the North American Handmade Bicycle Show. Two wheels good, four wheels bad. R.I.P. Gordon Riker.