2. Stores in my neighborhood
BUCHAREST, ROMANIA
Piata Muncii area - Mihai Bravu Street
3. 6 stores have been observed:
1. Mega Image – a hypermarket at the
intersection of Piata Muncii
2. 13 Ron clothes discount store
3. Bel Forno bakery & patisserie
4. Floraria flower shop
5. Fresh Market fruit & vegetables store
6. R Kiosk supermarket
4. Mega Image Products: there are several display islands in the
store showing off promotions, the first one you
notice is the one at the entrance advertising the Kit
Outside: The store doesn’t really draw
you in since it is located in a grey glass Kat bars. Products are arranged in a way that fruits
building, there are sliding doors and only & veggies as well as healthy foods are always in
the big bold white letters of their sign the front and at eye level. The furthest things in the
make you feel welcome and signal its store seem to be cleaning products, toilet paper
presence.
and plastic garbage bags. The most expensive
Environment: The inside, however items are champagne bottles, like Don Perignon
makes you feel very confortable, it is in and there are racks near the cash registers with
shades of white, grey, green and red. It
has a high ceiling, a white tiled floor and it chewing gum and chocolate bars.
is very well lit. It is a somewhat noisy Customers: they are from almost every age
environment since there are many people group, most of them are on a mission but end up
inside and a soft ambience music in the
background. The store in warm, smells browsing, since they are allowed to touch the
like detergent, full of merchandise and the products. People can spend from 5 minutes up to
cash registered are located near the exit. even an hour in such a store.
The environment really makes you feel
welcome, you feel like you can take your
time choosing your items since nobody is
there to bug you.
Personnel: salespersons will not
interfere with your shopping, there
are always 4 nice cashiers(all female)
to make the check out go faster. The
salespeople wear a bright red shirt
5. 13 RON discount store
Personnel: The young female shop assitents(they look in
their 20’s) usually don’t initiate contact, unless you call for
them to help you. The 3 sales people are dressed casually in
jeans & T shirt, most probably the shop’s items, which
match its unpretentious atmosphere.
Products: There are many center tables, the first thin
gyou notice are a pair of red boots with a ‘sale’ tag on them.
Since everything costs 13 ron, there are no expensive or
cheap items, customers are usually ones that perceive if an
item is a bargain or not. Merchandise is arranged according
to type and colour.
Customers: Most of them are female, they usually come
in groups, try on the clothes and tend to stay quite a lot
Outside: The door is closed, however the large
inside. Most of them are just browsing, since items change a
glass cases and the price signs attract manyso they don’t know what’s on sale.
lot,
customers looking for a bargain. The fact that the
store has no other sign than ‘any product 13 Ron’
can make people feel curious and maybe a little
excited to find something nice to wear.
Environment: The color scheme is white & red, a
lot of spotlights, it has a tall ceiling and beige tiled
floors. It is warm, full with merchandise and very
noisy, not only from the latino music, but also from
the chattering of customers. The cash register is
6. Bel Forno bakery & patisserie
Outside: The warm red brick as well as the smell of
bread coming from the open door make you feel very
welcome and in the mood for some freshly baked
goods. The sign is big and bright and makes you feel
welcome.
Environment. The color scheme of the store is yellow
and brown wooden furniture, the ceilings are high and
there are brown tiles on the floor. There is no music,
however it’ quite noisy because of the long line of
customers, especially in the morning. The cash register
is in the back, behind the counters and people usually
spend 10 minutes inside.
Personnel: there is only one middle age female
cashier, which always seems outnumbered by the large
amount of customers. She has a white shirt, red apron
on which matches the store image.
Products: the first products you notice are the big
bread racks behind the cashier, their smell also drives
you in to buy on impulse. There are no display tables
and people cannot touch the products. There are free
samples of bagels and cakes sometimes. The prices
are a bit hard to find, but the most expensive items are
some very tempting chocolate cakes which are at eye
level and cost 45 ron/kg.
Customers: Most of them seem to have come alone
and on a mission to buy the day’s bread and
sometimes order birthday cakes. Their age group is
29-60 and all seem to be family members. They tend to
7. Floraria flower shop
Outside: The store sign is big and clear and if you are on a
mission to buy a buquet of flowers, it is most likely you will enter the
small boutique, located in a very busy and overcrowded intersection.
The doors are usually open in the warm season, but closed to keep
warm inside.
Environment: The inside is white&blue, it has a very strong
flower smell that may give some people headaches. The ceiling is
low and the floors are an easy to clean linoleum which might make
you feel claustophobic and doesn’t really feel too welcome. The
noise from outside and the lack of music might make you feel in a
hurry to pick something fast and get out quick. It is pretty cool and
humid inside to suit the crowded pots of flowers and all light comes
from the outside.
Personnel: there are two female shop assistants in their
30’s, that will initiate communication as soon as you open the door.
They are usually dressed in long flowery skirts which somewhat
match the shop.
Products: the first thing I noticed is the big pot of white
chrysantheums located outside the shop. They seem to be the
number 1 selling item and are also on a sale. Products are arranged
in rows, according to price. The most expensive items are in the
back: orange roses and wedding azalea flower arrangements.
Customers: Most customers seem to be business women in
their 30’s that are on a mission to buy flowers. Usually they don’t
know which type to choose and decide quickly in the store. Most
customers are in a hurry, spend 1-5 minutes in the store, rarely 10 in
8. Fresh Market shop
Outside: the large open doors and the display
of the many cases with merchandise outside
make it welcoming. It looks like a very busy
place.
Environment: The inside is yellow and orange,
with a high ceiling and wooden floor. It smells
like fresh cut pumpkin, there is music in the
background, as well as people that make it a
noisy place.
Personnel: there are 2 very active shop
assistants, both are male ages 20-30. They are
dressed very casually, either jeans and shirts or
even sports wear, and will usually greet you first
and ask how they can help you.
Products: the first thing you notice are the
crates of apples outside from nearby local
farmers. There are no center display tables,
mostly of the products are in crates outside and
on the counters inside. There are no sale items,
but most of them brag to be eco-farming local
products. There are impulse items like forest
fruit mixes and strawberries near the cash
register than enjoy success from the ones with
sudden cravings. They are also the most
expensive items and placed at eye level.
Customers: Most customers are middle ages
people as well as pensioners. They seem like
people looking for cooking ingredients, most of
the times they’re on a specific mission, but end
up browsing and buying fruit outside the initial
9. R Kiosk
Outside: the brightly blue-white striped outside gives
off a happy feeling. There are sliding doors, but the
store sign is washed away by the rain which makes it
feel old and neglected.
Environment: the inside is warm, but not very bright,
the tiles and walls are all white. The merch is quite
crowded and varied. It smells like cleaning products
inside, it is quite silent aside from the pop-dance
music playing on the radio.
Personnel: there is only 1 shop assistant, female in
her 20’s, who will initiate contact immediately upon
entering. She wears a blue& white striped apron
which matches the outside and seems to be following
a script.
Products: the first thing I noticed are the
newspaper& magazine rack right near the door.
There are various display tables and items on sale.
The most expensive items are the bottles of
champagne as well as whiskey. The products are
arranged according to type and price range, the
cheapest options being situated at eye level. There
are impulse items near the cash register at the exit,
such as chewing gum, candies and musli bars.
Customers: Most of the customers seem to be
young people in their 20’s and in their 30’s, some
come in groups, others individually, most of them
seem to be interested in beer and fizzy drinks, the
store’s sandwiches, as well as glossy magazines.
They usually spend 10-15 minutes inside and seem
