Introduction

What we buy, how we buy things, and where we shop have been changing. In the past, people shopped at markets, where they could buy everything that they needed. Later, people shopped in small family-owned shops. Some shops were selling things that shop owners bought from people who produced them (producers). For example, butchers sold meat that they bought from farmers who had livestock, and florists sold flowers that others cultivated on their farms. Other shops made things that they sold. For example, bakeries sold bread that they baked, and tailor shops sold clothes that they sew. 

In the late 1800s (19th century), big department stores became popular. They sold many items in one large building, from clothes and shoes to kitchen equipment and furniture. In the 1900s (20th century), small family-owned shops were slowly replaced by big stores and shopping malls. Instead of buying groceries at a neighborhood corner store, people started shopping in big grocery stores that are still popular today. Or, instead of going to a local tailor shop to get their dresses or pants made by a seamstress or a tailor, customers went to shopping malls where they could buy ready-made clothes. 

Today, we often buy things on the Internet. Sometimes we do not need to go to a store at all because what we need arrives in our homes in packages by mail. In this activity, you will look at six black and white photos that show historical stores and shops. They will help us understand who worked in stores and shops in the past, where customers typically shopped, and what kind of items they bought.