Brooklyn Subway Station Gets Dino Bodega Art Makeover

Commuters at Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza subway station are doing double takes after stumbling upon a new shopkeeper: a dinosaur. A towering papier-mâché T. rex named Rex now runs a “dino bodega” inside a long-abandoned newsstand, filling the space with parody goods and playful art.

The installation is the work of artists Sarah Cassidy and Akiva Leffert, who transformed the dusty kiosk, complete with expired Pringles from 2012, into a whimsical love letter to bodegas, New York City, and everyday commutes.

Cassidy, normally a two-dimensional artist, built Rex with PVC pipes, chicken wire, and papier-mâché, while the shelves carry tongue-in-cheek items like “Small Arms Dealer” newspaper covers and “Steg Yun” posters.

The project is part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Vacant Unit Activation Program, which allows artists to revive unused subway spaces with creative installations. Since Rex’s arrival, applications to the program have spiked, showing strong public interest in reimagining empty transit spots.

For Cassidy and Leffert, the goal was simple: inject joy into daily commutes. Rex now leans forward at the counter, greeting riders with a silent but unmistakable question: “So, what can I getcha?