A New York City-style deli is coming to State College. When will it open?
An up-and-coming entrepreneur is working to bring a slice of New York City to downtown State College.
A bodega-style deli and convenience store is expected to open later this year at 340 E. College Ave. in the former home of HiWay Pizza Pub, which closed in 2023. The new store will offer a wide range of grab-and-go snacks, groceries and food options, including breakfast sandwiches and deli meats.
Owner Hamzah Mozeb, a 22-year-old New York City native, says the incoming deli is best thought of as an “all-in-one” shop for students and residents alike, no matter the time.
“If you need a coffee and a bagel in the morning, you could get it,” Mozeb told the Centre Daily Times. “If you wanted lunch, it’s here. Something to drink, you’ve got it. If it’s late at night, 1 a.m. or something, your must-haves are going to be there.”
Customers can expect to see shelves stocked with on-the-go snacks, a deli counter and grill to help serve fresh-sliced meats and cheese, and a menu offering other popular corner store staples. Mozeb said the store will likely offer other consumer goods and even some groceries, including milk and eggs.
Though plans are still in the works, Mozeb said he hopes to have his deli open shortly after Penn State’s fall semester begins if all goes to plan. He expects to have the store open from roughly 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily, but ramping up to operating 24 hours per day is possible if staffing is available and demand is high enough.
Mozeb plans to call his shop “Brooklyn Bodega,” offering a nod to the New York City-style store it’s modeled after. He spent years working in several bodega-style stores owned by his family, all while balancing his own studies at Baruch College in the Big Apple.
Today, the senior accounting student works as a manager for his family’s bodegas after focusing on his studies in the mornings. Mozeb’s daily duties usually include visiting each store, checking in on their operations and even picking up an apron for a shift if an employee isn’t available.
Growing up in the “bodega business” helped Mozeb feel uniquely equipped to move to State College and open his own shop at a young age.
“I’ve always been ambitious, and I wanted to venture out on my own,” Mozeb said. “It’s nice to have something you created with your own effort that brings something new to a community. You’re going to care more if it’s your own rather than someone else’s.”
Mozeb first visited State College a few years ago while meeting up with friends who studied at Penn State. He thought the area was missing a bodega-style deli — and more affordable food — but didn’t consider opening his own in Happy Valley until he saw the College Avenue storefront available for lease.
“I didn’t know I would always go this route, but life takes you places,” Mozeb said. “Now, it’s taking me to State College and this deli.”
Brooklyn Bodega will be the latest venture to open on the corner of Hiester Street and East College Avenue in State College, where several storefronts sat vacant following the closure of several Dante’s Nightlife establishments over the past few years. Manny’s Live Performance Space opened in January inside the former home of The Saloon, while a new noodle shop and a new craft beverage tap house will open later this year on that very corner.
This story was originally published May 16, 2025 at 6:15 AM.
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