A few months ago I got a phone call from Eric Hopf, a long distance friend in Brooklyn. He was excited to brainstorm ideas he had been plotting with his girlfriend for a possible business venture in the vegan lifestyle. One Indie GoGo page later and he's already gotten a ton of accolades for the project: An all vegan deli and convenience store in the heart of Manhattan, aptly named Vegan Bodega.

It is rather surprising that in a city with millions of different types of people and thousands of resources, there are no all-vegan grocery stores. In all five boroughs, Eric Hopf will be the first person to open an all-vegan convenience store and deli. They hope to raise awareness for low impact living and healthy alternative choices in food, and their main concern is bringing a common venue for those with specific needs.

Vegan Bodega is not a reality yet — it's still in the process of planning and getting ready to open. Do you live in Manhattan? Is an all-vegan deli something you would find useful?

• Find out more: Vegan Bodega

Related: Discovering Vegan Wine: What! Isn't All Wine Vegan?

(Image: Vegan Bodega)