"He said, 'Give me money, give me money,'" the store owner, who asked not to be identified, told WCVB-TV. "I was really scared. I don't know what I'm doing. Then I see the guy hit my head with a knife."
The store owner brandished his own knife from under the counter and security camera captured the ensuing knife fight.
The video shows the men swinging their knives at one another, but neither makes contact.
The attacker eventually loses his knife and throws objects from the store at the owner.
The owner said he threw the robber's knife at him and the man fled with about $300.
The store owner told WPRI-TV it was "unacceptable" for such a robbery to take place in broad daylight.
"I am surprised," he said. "It was daytime, you know 9:30, 10 a.m. Somebody came in jumping on my counter, grabbed a knife and grabbed my money."
Police arrested Jose Tirado-Sanchez, 36, on charges of armed robbery while masked, armed assault to murder, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and vandalized property.
