Book Description

This book explores aspects of retail trade in contemporary Greece. It offers a study of retail trade from the point of view of consumption as an analytic and interpretative category, using the relevant sources of social and economic history. The history of individuals, enterprises and markets, sentiments, and the representations of retail trade in the Modern Greek state are used to support the arguments and the themes of this collective volume.
In the 20th century, merchant capitalism was also combined with the consuming appeal of the new products. The history of retail trade is directly linked to both the historical evolution of the capital of Greece, and the history of the merchants (shopkeepers or peddlers) and the shop assistants. The retailing profession per se and the functions of the retail industry and the tradesman have been recorded in public and private archives as well as in literary fiction. The image of clothing in Greek novels (from production to vending and consumption) highlights fashion, women’s and men’s attires and the relevant professions.
The authors are (in alphabetical order): Ilias Kafaoglou, Kostas Katsoudas, Iris Polyzou, Nikos Potamianos, Efrosyni Roupa, Eri Stavropoulou. Introduction by Maria Christina Chatziioannou.