Supermarkets have been trying to do away with the little neighbourhood mini-market, but the 'bakaliko' in the photo happens to be located in a densely populated area of the town. The street where it is located is filled with apartment blocks serving both as private homes and offices, including a host of doctor's surgeries.
The road running parallel to the bakaliko is where the Agora is situated, but people still use their corner store here; there were plenty of customers coming in and out when I was in the area. Town people prefer local shops in the city centre than having to move their cars from the little parking space available, or walk too far carrying heavy shopping bags, etc. Local shop owners can nip in to buy some coffee or sugar for the office, some fruit for a healthy lunch choice, and get some shopping done before they go home. This shop sells all the basic supplies, including staple supermarket products, which is a good thing, because people in the middle of town don't often have a supermarket easily accessible to them.
The area the corner shop serves is filled with apartments, doctor's surgeries, accountants, lawyers, and other offices. All the lower stories at street level are specialised shops of some kind: a bakery, dry-cleaner's, cafe, clothes shops, hairdresser, travel agent, real estate office, among others.
The owner of the store is a cousin of my husband's. He grows and sells his own village produce (olives, oranges, potatoes, among other produce when in season) which urban people seek; they often do not have access to products straight from the villages that surround the town centre of Hania. As you can see, he's doing a roaring trade in greens, too.
Click on the photo to see the notes for more details of the products sold here.
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This type of market is just the best. When I lived in England I only went to the supermarket for canned goods, paper products, soap, and detergent. Although I lived in a small village, only two miles away from home we had an excellent butcher, greengrocer, fishmonger, and bakery. I miss those things. Don't let them die, because you never get them back.
ReplyDeleteI much prefer getting most of my produce from local shops like this, everything is much fresher and usually locally grown, as you said. I'm even managing to remember when the veg lorry comes around now which is even better as I don't have to drive.
ReplyDeleteGood old bakalika were a place of wonder when I was little, all sorts of delights there like leathery salted fish resting on coarse salt and packets of jelly and strong smelling feta cheese, sweets and cheap little toys. Brilliant! Best of all, the owner would say good morning and know you by name and my yiayia would send me for errands making me feel all helpful and grownup.
ReplyDeleteThis type of shop doesn't exist where I live. There are a few corner convenience shops, but they mostly sell magazines, fast food, snacks, and drinks. The closest we come to this are the farmers markets that are set up twice a week. Different booths are set up in a public parking lot/park and they sell everything from produce to cheese to fish to bread to flowers, etc. All the little indepdently owned grocery stores are gone too, with only the larger chains competing for business.
ReplyDeleteLove your very interesting Site
ReplyDeleteFantastic.
Shall visit and learn.
Bill in Melbourne.
Where we live, there are no such markets, just supermarkets; the one closest to me is far enough away to make walking (especially during the freezing winters) unfeasible but close enough that I feel a twinge of guilt each time I drive my car to pick up 'a few things'. I hope small stores such as your cousin-in-law's hang in there! They fill the gap where supermarkets can't.
ReplyDeleteThe only problem I see with corner shopw are their prices: in Athens at least they are very very expensive!
ReplyDeletei would have to agree - corner shops are usually more expensive, but not necessarily in the fresh product range, mainly in the packaged items. i must admit that i dont use them myself, unless i have run out of something and i need it urgently (like when i made kourambiedes last christmas and i discovered on saturday night that i had run out of icing sugar!)
ReplyDeleteI have been going to smaller grocery stores where I live in the Chicago-land area and I find I save a ton of money going there and the quality of the products is sometimes better.
ReplyDeleteIf I lived where you did, I would probably go to that cute market because it looks so inviting!
We used to have a couple of small corner shops in my town, but they have been gone at least 25 years, sadly.The large Super stores have taken over! We, at least , have a farmers market in the summer.
ReplyDeleteSo glad that you are feeling better!
You always manage to make me so flipping jealous. This morning I woke up to a frost covered truck and starting to think no end in sight.
ReplyDeleteI miss farmer's markets and outdoors *sniff*
These are great pictures. My husband recently discovered a local greengrocer and we have been enjoying some wonderful veg, which is good as our farmers' market is only once a fortnight. I hope they manage to survive the recession.
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