Honestly, it just sounds like these 'coastal elites' seems to care a lot more about their personal image and making themselves feel good rather than actually caring about bodegas and their families, or whatever. Reminds me in a bit like poverty porn.

Lets be honest here - they're just vending machines. Sure, Bodega is a very bad choice of name, but it was the FastCompany article that said they want to kill mom and pop stores and rob their familities, not the founders.

Of course, I'm not from America (australia) so I'm definitely out of touch with the cultural part of the situation, but that's just what it looks like from here

Well, I think nobody will force anyone to use those vending machines instead of going to their corner store.

If people do it, maybe it's because they don't feel this family thing ? So does it matter after all ?

Not supporting the vending machines here, just interrogating you :-)

Sounds like general stores in small towns closing down because a Walmart has opened next door.

To be fair, a lot of people are seriously angry at Walmart about that as well.