Y-Not Variety

A variety of flavors of delicious Italian ice for $2.99…what’s not to love here? The folks running the place are kind and there’s a variety of other convenience store types goods for sale, although I always come for the Italian ice.

I’ve known the Store Owner since he became the proprietor of the YNOT Variety Everyone at the sore is very friendly and accommodating Super customer Service Can’t say a thing really on the negative side Stop by the Store and experience it for yourself

This is our local corner store and we joke it’s our second house. Incredibly selection of beer and wine, always some locals sitting around in the back, clearly family owned and all the employees are so friendly. They also have a surprisingly diverse selection of food and ice cream for a corner shop. Would give them 10 stars if I could! Thank you for serving the neighborhood!!!!

Great beer and wine selection and classic staples in a pinch. They even have oat milk! Very nice folks running the place and great neighborhood spot.

Best convenience and liquor store in the area. Clean, organized and they have everything you need. And they have ton of wine choices for those who need a drink in the evening. Store owner is the nicest guy, they stay open for long hours (7a-9p). Thank you for the work that you guys do for our community.

The best store around everything's super fresh. The only convenience store to go too

The store's convenient location and cute name are its only saving graces. Overpriced and not particularly useful, I find it is usually worth walking a bit further to get what I need. Y-Not sandwiches are dreadful and slow -- they once spent several meetings slicing already-sliced turkey into squares, which I found utterly useless.

Incredibly convenient and super friendly staff! Great selection of beer, wine and snacks. Owner went out of his way to start carrying an item for me they didn’t currently stock.

I love this local convenience store. It's not huge, but they have the core essentials, along with some nice treats! They have some good electrolyte drinks that I normally don't see elsewhere, along with 8 different flavors of Italian Ice, which they serve fresh. It's delicious! They have some tasty bags of chips, too. Staff is super kind, too! Perfect quaint corner store.

Very convenient Excellent store hours and associates A little bit of everything Easy in easy out Alway friendly

Very friendly neighborhood convenience store that's well stocked and has great hours. Service is personable & owner clearly looks after the Neighborhood, including hosting lovely flowers & a helpful bulletin board for community notices!

Excellent local convenience which even sells beer and wine (rare for a store like that to have a liquor license in this area)!

If you'd like to suggest a minimum for credit card use, then suggest it. Go ahead. Write a cute little poem, or have a friend doodle on the sign (doodle-on-the-sign!) and what have you, but realize that it should only be a suggestion, lest ye catch someone at a real lackluster part of their day, searching for something specific only to find it tied up in economic red tape. Wanted to make a pizza and remembered everything but shredded mozzarella. Y-Not fell on the drive home, and after a little cajoling by Shaun H, I swung though expecting the worst. Circled past the older gents playing Keno at an feverish pace, and discovered the cheese thanks to a pretty proficient sense of organization. The cheese proved to be at the standard convenience store price point ($4.79. For two cups) but cravings are cravings and I was ready to pay. $4.79 on the dot, and being short on cash, I pulled the card for payment. "There's a $5 minimum." "Really? It's only 21c man. And I don't have any cash" "Sorry sir, that is the minimum. *stunned silence* "Would you like to purchase something else?" "No, I just want my cheese." "I'm sorry then." "You can't do that - it violates the credit card agreement you have." "Good bye sir." To his credit, he was quite congenial, but I'm not shopping for the smiles. Perhaps if I were a reg like the rest of these lovely folks, they'd flex a little courtesy, but nyet. My patronage was swept away by some broom of the cosmos and all for 20c.

Why not? The Y-Not Market has just gotten a liquor license, and is now a combination convenience store AND one-stop-beer-and-wine-shop. With the lowest prices I've seen in the area, you can grab your 24 oz can of 8.1% alcohol Steel Reserve for just $1.50, opposed to $2 at most other liquor stores (Yeah, i keep it classy, i know...) They also have a small deli, and made-to-order subs every day but Sunday. If scratch tickets are your thing, they have an amazing selection, which includes every scratch ticket known the the Commonwealth. I put a lot of emphasis on service in my reviews, and a simple smile and "how are you" can bump a review from four to five stars. It's about the experience, and Y-Not is consistently friendly and customer service-oriented. So, if you find yourself on Willow Ave in Somerville, and in need of some cheap beer, a lottery ticket, a loaf of bread, and a candy bar... slip in that door under the giant rusty "Submarines" sign, and say hello to my friends at the Y-Not... I mean... Why not?

I live next door to Y-not, and i dread the day i move and i can't wake up on a saturday morning, walk downstairs, and purchase a v-dub right next door. It's practically as easy as a trip to my own fridge. The people who work there are sweet hearts. Since i'm a good customer, sometimes they're a little loosey goosey on the 5.00 credit card limit. The best thing about this place is that nearly every time someone suggests stopping in, someone ALWAYS replies with "Why not?" and i'll tell you, it's funny EVERY TIME!! their coffee sucks, and they should work on getting that beer/wine permit passed, but despite these things, i truly love Y-not variety.

This is what I recently found out that makes the Y-Not even better (besides the fact that I moved even closer and now the family that owns it/works there are super extra nice now that they recognize me): The Y-Not was started by a guy named Tony. Y-Not is Tony backwards. HOW AWESOME IS THAT? That Tony was a smart guy.

What would we do without the Y-Not?! We go every morning to pick up our newspapers and the owner is the nicest, friendliest person. We always have our little doggie with us and they are ok with us bringing her in while we gather our purchases. They also have slush which we love. It is super convenient to have a store close by that doesn't gouge you when you need mile, bread, or the other staple, beer. Love you, Y-Not!!!

What, no reviews of the Y Not since 2012? It is still here, run by the same lovely family, with the same "Keno scene" in the back of the store. Sometimes I join in. It's fun to chat about the local politics and culture with the old timers who hang out there. Just sit down--they are wicked friendly. They won't even make you play Keno. But it is kind of fun to buy a ticket and join in with the inevitable cussing at the TV screen when it doesn't display the numbers that the Keno gang is rooting for. The deli counter is gone, but the beer and wine selection is great. When they first got the liquor license, they knew me as regular, and asked me what kind of wine I drink. They wrote down the labels that I mentioned. When heading to a party or dinner, I can pick up a bottle at the Y Not on the way there. My friends who prefer craft beer have given a thumbs up to the Y Not's selection, saving us a trip to a bigger store when they want a beer or two.

Have a strange craving for Pop Tarts? Go to Y Not. Want to play keno for three hours and gripe about how much Obama sucks? Go to Y Not. Want to make mildly funny jokes like "Y Not Get Tanked?" while buying a case of competitively priced beer? Go to Y Not Y Not is a great resource for the neighborhood and has an impressive selection of beer, munchies and functional stuff like milk. The owners are legitimately nice guys, very friendly and accommodating, always keeping things moving, always appreciative of your business. The lounge in the back is home to Somerville lifers who sit around a beat up kitchen table, chug coffee and play Keno. I was once called a "yuppie" by a guy at the Y Not, although to be fair, I was wearing a cardigan at the time. They say unintelligible things to themselves like "rahrahrahr" while reading the Boston Herald and watch the Keno numbers come down like falling snow. They diligently scrub scratch tickets clean and curse at the Red Sox game on the television. The scene is weirdly comforting for someone who grew up around Boston, like stepping off the Deloreon into 1991 for a few fleeting moments. These people used to roll in much deeper numbers, now they are hard to find in their natural habitat, the keno table of a convenience store. Beer? Pringles? Existential Deja-Vu? Y Not!

Why not review the Y Not Variety? I love being able to walk over and get whatever I want whenever I want it-- and at 8 at night, when I'm in the middle of making dinner and I run out of butter, I'm willing to pay for the convenience of not having to drive to Shaws or go without. I always want roast beef when I go over there for a sandwich but the Indian family who owns the place doesn't stock it....that whole sacred cow thing. The Keno lounge is a little odd...and the folks who frequent it odder...but they never look at me funny for walking in in my slippers.

Y-Not Variety is the best! When I first moved to the area a few years ago I was happy to have a convenience store across the way. I quickly learned, however, Its more than just a pit stop for milk and bread. This neighborhood store is owned and run by the most wonderful family, for one. Patrons are always greeted with a smile and a warm "hello." Second, the prices are NOT outrageous as one might expect for a small store front. Lastly, the owners recently got a beer and wine license which has definitely been a plus for me. Its so nice to be able to invite friends over for a few drinks at the last minute and have a one-stop-shop: cheese, crackers, wine. On any given day you can find a few locals hunkered down in the back area enjoying a coffee and eagerly scratching off lotto tickets or awaiting the next Keno game. The store also sells cold cuts and deli sandwiches. One snowy day I hope to call out of work and join the locals for Keno and a good ole' ham and cheese. Why not?!?

I just moved into the area, and have been searching for my "go get things" place, and this is definitely it. Their prices are much better than other area stores, and the staff was very friendly. I'll be walking over there more for sure.

I can see the Y-Not from my window. It's comforting. The people who work there are very nice! One time they gave me a free baguette! Day-old bread is still good to me! On moving day, they knew my roommates and I by how much water we were buying -- and they wanted to be our friend. I haven't gone there for sandwiches or played Keno -- maybe one day! In conclusion, Y-Not Variety is sweet.

I was asked for an ID when buying a pack of condoms. Are you kidding me? Usually they're fairly nice but it's just an average convenience store. More expensive than stores and not as much variety.

There is very little you can say negative about this shop. The staff are friendly and efficient. The prices are on par with any other convenience store in the area. Recently they expanded their beer selection. It's no liquor store but I'm positive there is something for everyone. I wouldn't go out of my way to buy something from the Y Not, but if you live in the area you should stop in and see what you think.

WHY NOT HAVE A VARIETY!!! ice cream, dippin dots, sass a frass---you guys are crazy!!

I love this place and they always have just what I need. Great selection of beer and wine, definitely dig the no frills vibe.

Thanks Rebecca for the sleuthing about the origins of Y-Not.. I agree that it makes me love the place more. I live around the corner and my favorite thing is going over and picking up some pints of ice-cream. Go for the turkey hill brand - it's good and cheap (2 for $3 last time I was there). Also getting the paper on weekends or last minute milk, butter, etc... Also the people who work there are consistently friendly.