Supermarkets have been trying to do away with this kind of little neighbourhood mini-market, but this 'bakaliko' is in a densely populated area of the town. The street where it is located is filled with apartment blocks and the road running parallel to it is where the Agora is located. 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. 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 owner of the store also sells his own village produce, which urban people seek; they often do not have access to products straight from the villages that surround the town centre of Hania.
Long live the corner store.
ReplyDeleteYours sounds just like ours (the only store in our village).
Are the prices there the same as in the supermarket?
Looks like a nice place to shop!
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived in Xalepa my housemate and I went every Saturday morning to our local pandepolion to get our house wine for the week. The owner had barrels of krassi apo vareli in the back room and we would bring our washed out plastic containers for him to fill up. At Christmas he always had an extra special mavro.
ReplyDeleteI can't say his tomatoes were the absolute best because in season all the little shops and the open market had tomatoes so sweet they were like candy. Argh... what I miss most about Xania is the food...
in mumbai these type of shops home deliver the goods too at no extra charge!
ReplyDeleteI do most of my shopping in a similar shop. They are still plentiful, but I have heard they are having a hard timing keeping up with the supermarket competition here too.
ReplyDeleteI would love to be able to shop like that. One of the things I enjoy about my visits to Belize, is the small neighborhood stores. Most people their have no transportation or cupboard space, so the items for each meal are purchased that day. They sell eggs one at a time.
ReplyDeleteAn Arkies Musings
We miss that kind of shop around here. I marvel when I see them abroad - take good care of them!
ReplyDeleteThese little shops are good for things that you have forgotten to purchase @ the supermarket. They tend to be expensive and many of times they charge what they want with no receipt. But they are a connivance :)
ReplyDeleteThere is a bakaliko in Makrigianni, Athina, right near the new Akropoli Study Centre that is so "village" I love to go there and buy produce and other basic stuff, even if I don't really need it. It was there long before the neighborhood poshed up and I hope it will be there for many years to come. Thanks, Maria. PS: I hope you will give us a blog on Athina. I loved the one on your visit last year. Hugs.
ReplyDelete