The Lourakis Mini Market, a traditional grocery store, is a few steps from the main square in Gavalochori. Look for the sign that points to the road to Vamos, and you will find the mini market just up that road on the left. The market is family owned, and Antonis Lourakis, his wife Eirini, and their daughters Christina and Georgia run the store—helping customers find what they need, serving as cashiers, and restocking the shelves. The market also functions as a gathering place for women in Gavalochori, and you are likely to see several women sitting on the bench outside of the market, producing the traditional kopaneli lace and discussing the news of the day.
The mini market has always been in the family. It was started by Antonis’s father Giorgos Lourakis in 1956. For the first shop, Giorgos rented the building across the street. Because he wanted to own his own space, he bought the space next to where the market is now—the “Lourakis” sign is still visible there. Giorgos sold beans, flour, oil, and wine and sometimes would bring a crate of vegetables on the back of his donkey from the nearby village of Armenoi to sell in the market.
Antonis took over the shop in 2007. He was working as a security guard at the Vamos Health Center, but because his father was getting old, he took over the business. Later, he purchased the space where the market is now located in order to renovate his father’s shop. Although he still hasn’t succeeded in renovating the old shop, it is still his dream to refurbish the space next door in the old style, bringing out its traditional character.
His father sold a limited range of products when he owned the shop, but Antonis offers a variety of items, including food, beverages, and cleaning supplies. He tries to sell fresh produce, fresh eggs, and fresh soft cheese from local farmers—he wants to support local producers as much as possible.
In the old days, when Giorgos owned the market, people often did not have the money to pay for what they bought. He kept a tab in a notebook, and they paid him with their own produce when they harvested their olives and carobs or when they slaughtered a sheep. Unfortunately, after many years, people have had to go back to the notebook. Economic conditions have changed again, and people are finding it difficult to purchase even the basic necessities of life.
The customers for the mini market are both villagers and foreigners. In the summer, many foreigners come to the market, which enables the business to survive and grow.
In the summer, the mini market is open daily between 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. In the winter, the shop is open daily from 7:30 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.
The Lourakis Mini Market, a traditional grocery store, is a few steps from the main square in Gavalochori. Look for the sign that points to the road to Vamos, and you will find the mini market just up that road on the left. The market is family owned, and Antonis Lourakis, his wife Eirini, and their daughters Christina and Georgia run the store—helping customers find what they need, serving as cashiers, and restocking the shelves. The market also functions as a gathering place for women in Gavalochori, and you are likely to see several women sitting on the bench outside of the market, producing the traditional kopaneli lace and discussing the news of the day.
The mini market has always been in the family. It was started by Antonis’s father Giorgos Lourakis in 1956. For the first shop, Giorgos rented the building across the street. Because he wanted to own his own space, he bought the space next to where the market is now—the “Lourakis” sign is still visible there. Giorgos sold beans, flour, oil, and wine and sometimes would bring a crate of vegetables on the back of his donkey from the nearby village of Armenoi to sell in the market.
Antonis took over the shop in 2007. He was working as a security guard at the Vamos Health Center, but because his father was getting old, he took over the business. Later, he purchased the space where the market is now located in order to renovate his father’s shop. Although he still hasn’t succeeded in renovating the old shop, it is still his dream to refurbish the space next door in the old style, bringing out its traditional character.
His father sold a limited range of products when he owned the shop, but Antonis offers a variety of items, including food, beverages, and cleaning supplies. He tries to sell fresh produce, fresh eggs, and fresh soft cheese from local farmers—he wants to support local producers as much as possible.
In the old days, when Giorgos owned the market, people often did not have the money to pay for what they bought. He kept a tab in a notebook, and they paid him with their own produce when they harvested their olives and carobs or when they slaughtered a sheep. Unfortunately, after many years, people have had to go back to the notebook. Economic conditions have changed again, and people are finding it difficult to purchase even the basic necessities of life.
The customers for the mini market are both villagers and foreigners. In the summer, many foreigners come to the market, which enables the business to survive and grow.
In the summer, the mini market is open daily between 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. In the winter, the shop is open daily from 7:30 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.
