A startup wants to replace corner stores. What does your local shop mean to you?

Two ex-Google employees have said they want their new startup, Bodega, to replace corner shops. Share photos and stories of your favorite corner shops and the people who work there

Two former Google employees have launched a tech startup with the aim of replacing corner shops. No surprise, there's been swift backlash against the Silicon Valley techies and their company, named Bodega after a commonly used term in New York for local stores typically run by immigrants.

The company is marketing essentially glorified vending machines - 5ft-wide pantries that users can unlock with their smartphones to pick up non-perishable items. There are no humans at the "stores", which are already stationed in spots like apartment buildings, offices and gyms, and a computer program automatically charges customers' credit cards.